Flip the script and change your life

Are you a pessimist or an optimist? Why does it matter?

If you regard a half-filled glass as half-empty, you’re more on the pessimist side of things. A half-filled glass that is regarded as half-full can easily make you an optimist.

In business, statistically, optimists earn more than pessimists, mostly because they see more options or opportunities in negative or challenging situations.

One of the side effects of living and working during a pandemic is that you are often confronted with a choice on how you move forward (or not at all) in life. With the burdens and heaviness of our times, it’s easy to lean into pessimism and let negativity be your lens.

I encourage you to do your best to lean away from that negativity. It’s good for your business, yes, but it’s almost critical to maintaining good mental health.

But how do you go about that? Especially now?

You have a choice to look at everything in your path as either an obligation or an opportunity. If you’re doing your best to be an optimist, which one do you feel more aligned with?

Let’s imagine that you get an email in your inbox that has the subject line, “Hope you can help me” (and yes, it’s not spam!). You may look at that email as either an opportunity to serve your fellow human or as an obligation you have to fulfill (especially if they are your client and you’re feeling burnt out by your work).

The real question is: Can you regard it as an opportunity to serve, earn, learn, influence, network, encourage, or teach?

Your response, prompt or not, to that email, is part of an energetic response in the Universe. Your contribution of positivity or optimism creates a joyful experience for both you and the person asking for help. Whether or not you can actually help them, the gift is in showing up for them and seeing if you can. Your response, based on optimism, reflects much-needed positive energy and helps them feel seen and heard.

When you treat these moments as opportunities, you are putting it out the Universe that you feel abundant and thus, you activate the law of reciprocity- what you put out, you receive. This means more opportunities to learn and serve and to contribute positively to all you encounter.

Consider your response next time something comes up and surprises you or catches you off guard. If you approach it as something that feels like an obligation, you’re less likely to do it or enjoy doing it. If you approach it from a place of service and kindness, I bet you’ll enjoy the journey a whole lot more.