It is astounding to me how easy it is to fall into a state of negativity. It’s like a hole that you can’t seem to climb out of sometimes. There is a reason for this. If you allow yourself to have a negative point of view, you will be blinded to all of the good and beautiful things that have the power to distract you from it. And negativity breeds more negativity, which is why it may seem that “when it rains, it pours,” and frankly, life seems to just suck. The evidence is a flood of complaints and rants on my Facebook feed every day; how about yours?

We can turn it around with something as simple as positive thinking. I know, it seems TOO simple, right? Numerous Harvard studies have found that people who are more optimistic have less health issues than those who embrace negative thinking. Of course, nothing can be perfect all the time. However, Winston Churchill once said that “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” So optimism isn’t necessarily about just accepting problems and saying “whatever will be, will be” – a common misconception. In short, those who are more positive are more equipped to find ways to cope with existing problems and less likely to allow future problems to be detrimental to their goals and overall happiness. They use positive thinking as a tool to take action and overcome.

Years ago, I went on a trip to Jamaica. It was a vacation on a resort property, but as I am very interested in the culture of the places I visit, we went off the beaten path a bit. I saw half-built houses and people who clearly had less than many in the United States. But I also saw more genuine smiles on the faces of people who were grateful to have their family and friends around them and enough to live on. It occurred to me then that optimism is a perspective. Happiness is a perspective.

So, how can you become more of an optimist? First, treat yourself with respect. Stop telling yourself you can’t. Speak positively to and about yourself. Of course you can … other people could, so why can’t you? You are absolutely capable. Second, understand that you, and only you, are responsible for your happiness. Other people cannot make you unhappy. They can hurt you; they can betray and attempt to break you. They cannot, however, make you feel anything you don’t want to feel. You are the only one in control of that. Lastly, realize that the expectations you set for yourself should be realistic but high. Don’t limit yourself only to what is comfortable. Take the risk of following your passions. The most successful people have all done this. They believed they could, and they did.

The pure light in me honors and respects the pure light in each of you. Namaste.

Jennifer Russo