I was driving to work the other day listening to the news on the radio and, as has become the custom, the news was reporting everything that was wrong in the world. I turned it off. It reminded me of a saying I had heard that the brain cannot differentiate between what it hears and reality. The past decade in Alberta has been a challenging one and with those challenges has come a constant diet feeding our brains with negative information, and a lack of optimism and hope.
Your vehicle has a huge windshield and a small rear-view mirror because what's in front of us is much more important than what is behind us. We still must check the rear-view mirror, but the majority of our energy is applied looking forward.
This pandemic has been no help in trying to live with optimism and hope. The waves, the fears, and the actuality of those who are sick or lives lost has been difficult for all of us to deal with. It has damaged our belief systems, many relationships, and our ability to use our vision to look further down that road. We've become fearful to make plans as there may be another disruption. We are paralyzed by it.
Optimism is a hopeful, positive outlook on the future, yourself, and the world around us. It is a key part of resilience, the inner strength that helps us get through tough times. Optimism helps you see, feel, and think positively.
We don't have to be born optimists to use the power of optimism. In daily life you have the freedom to choose a positive viewpoint to make the most of what life brings your way.
Focus on what's going well. Write down things that have gone well. Describe the cause of each event, and credit yourself for the part you played in it, such as, "I made that phone call I've been putting off for a long time.”
Practice gratitude. Write down three things in your life that you are grateful for. This kind of focus on what enriches your life can help keep your thoughts and feelings more positive.
Look for the benefits. Think of a negative event from your near or distant past. Now think of something positive that has or could come of it.
Look ahead. Picture yourself doing something that feels good. Expect good things to happen.
Build yourself up. When you need it, lean on others or your faith to build more strength.
As we look down the road and see the new year of 2022 coming at us, what would have to happen in the next 12 months for you to look back a year from now and say, "2022 was my best year ever?"
My hope for all of us is a renewed focus on the future, and the optimism to make it a reality. Have a super Christmas, and may 2022 be your best year ever!
John Liston is the vice-president of Alberta Enterprise Group, and a St. Albert resident active in our business and charity communities.
