What if it doesn’t all work out?
That’s the question that keeps you up at night, causes panic, and inspires major anxiety about what’s to come. Perhaps you’re an athlete and you have a game tomorrow that could cost you the championship. Or you’re a musician and tomorrow’s performance could be your ticket to go big or go home. Despite your misgivings, however, some part of you clings tenaciously to the notion that regardless of past and utterly damning evidence, it – you – will be OK in the end. Whether it comes naturally or through sheer stubbornness, for better or worse, you’re stuck with the persistent condition that poets and psychiatrists alike refer to as optimism. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade – even if you have to spike it with vodka.
The cliches mount in defiance against the setbacks you face on both a large scale, like world peace, and a smaller more personal one, such as a bad hair day. The good news is you’re not alone. Most of us are just trying to get through the day, hoping for the best. There are several studies concluding that the more outgoing, relaxed and open people are – which are all traits of an optimist – the more likely they are to encounter new opportunities and to recognize them when they do.
While looking on the bright side may lack the material impact promised in self-help books such as “The Power of Now” or “The Secret” – both incredible reads – one thing is for sure: contentment is a very important marker for longevity in healthy populations, and is as beneficial for you as smoking is detrimental. At the very least, remaining upbeat helps ensure you’re around to see it all play out to the, perhaps bitter, end.
I have some advice for those of you that wish to live on the brighter side. Given that you have a lengthy future ahead of you, how can you maximize your proverbial bowl of cherries? According to an article in Psychological Science, it’s important to remember that life is still relatively short. Those who are reminded that a pleasant experience will end soon are more motivated to enjoy it and participate more wholeheartedly. And what better place to revel in the transitory pleasures of experience than in your own personal journal?
Whether you wish to record past triumphs, plan future victories, or simply sketch out the small things that make you smile, you now have a private spot for your treasured Pollyanna poetics that can’t be dampened by others’ pessimism.
Why get a journal? I’m glad you asked. Writing about important personal experiences in an emotional way brings about improvements in mental and physical health. Benefits that have been proven of this include better stress management, strengthened immune systems, fewer doctor visits, and improvement in chronic illnesses such as asthma.
It isn’t perfectly clear how journaling accomplishes all this. Catharsis is involved, but many also point to the value of organizing experiences into a cohesive narrative. Some experts believe that journaling, and I quote “forces us to transform the rumination cluttering our minds into coherent stories.” I personally own a notebook that I write in every day. My inner thoughts, fleeting sentences I find inspirational or thought-provoking. I’ve even attempted poetry.
To get the most out of your journaling, here are some helpful tips (what am I, a guru?). Try to write quasi-daily, for at least 5 minutes if not more. If you find yourself unable to muster even a single cheerful sentiment, don’t stress. Instead just look up the plethora of cheerful quotes floating around the internet and find one to use as a jumping-off point for observations and explorations. Don’t critique your writing, just spew. Nobody is going to be reading it, so it doesn’t matter if you’re an incredible writer or an amateur one. Last but not least, find a safe home for your journal in which no others can find it.
The great poet Robert Frost once said, “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life – It goes on.” Take it from the man who managed not only to get his poetry published but became a legend doing so, sometimes things really do work out. Before you know it, your sunny disposition will surface naturally, without prompting, all by itself. Now go forth and find something to look forward to!
Alana Wynne 