There are times in everyone’s life where nothing seems to be going as planned. Often one or two significant challenges or setbacks can distort the way we view the present. Negative thoughts can skew our perception of the world around us and prevent us from having a healthy perspective on life.
Your outlook on a situation can vary greatly from another’s, even if they experienced the same thing you did. Perspective is how you evaluate the situation, which affects how you cope with the outcome.
Children’s author James Stevenson wrote a book called, “Could Be Worse!” that features a grandfather who always has a positive outlook on life because of his optimism-based motto, “Could Be Worse!”. No matter what silly and ridiculous challenges he faces throughout the book, he always seems to be able to have a perspective that keeps him optimistic.
We always have a choice in how we direct our thoughts. We can focus on what we have or what we do not have. We can focus on the good in others or we can focus on what annoys us about others. How we direct these thoughts shapes how we feel, think and act.
Like any habit, building a positive perspective requires practice until it becomes your default. So when you feel negativity begin to creep into your thoughts, consciously stop and redirect them. Remind yourself that there are many ways to view a situation. Focus on some positive aspects of your life. By doing this you will be able to gain a healthier perspective than you started with.
Every challenge in life has the potential to make you stronger. By choosing to develop a more positive perspective, you broaden the scope of possibilities available to you and are able to see your life more realistically.
If you would like to have a counselor work with you on developing a more positive perspective, your EAP can help. Call your BHS Care Coordinator today at 800-245-1150.