How do you stay optimistic when you are surrounded by a steady drumbeat of troubling news? It's not an easy task these days, especially when you're worried about holding on to your job or your home.
Yet, it is precisely during times like these that must be proactive about managing our emotional well-being. The people most likely to succeed in this economy are not necessarily those with the best resumes or education, but those who develop the "mental muscle" that empowers them with the focus to create opportunities and their own "luck" in spite of the odds. As famed author Stephen Covey notes, "“Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.” Fortunately, with hard work and persistence, optimism can be learned.
Thanks to the emerging science of Applied Positive Psychology (not to be confused with positive thinking), a number of excellent tools have been developed to help people build resiliency and mental well-being.
Here are three invaluable resources that I strongly recommend you explore:
Authentic Happiness: This is the website of Dr. Martin Seligman, who is the founder of the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center. Outstanding website that contains an array of free assessment tools to help you develop insights into yourself and the world around you through scientifically tested questionnaires, surveys, and scales.
Creating Your Best Life: This book by Caroline Miller is filled with research, worksheets and easy-to-implement strategies for people who want to adopt meaningful life planning and impactful goal-setting tools into their lives.
Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life: Dr. Judith Orloff weaves neuroscience, psychology, and spirituality together to create a new approach for freeing yourself from negative emotions.
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