Unfortunate events are inevitable in life and although there is nothing anyone can do to avoid things like illness, old age, and death, using three strategies will make the world a more positive place.

1. Start and end the day by counting your blessings. It is so easy to carry the worries of the world to bed, causing nightmares and poor sleep throughout the night. Instead make a gratitude journal of at least ten things that make life easier in the morning and do it again at night. It is much easier to start the day being positive rather than going through half the day before realizing how negative you have been acting.

2. End the cycle of negativity. Watch your thoughts, whenever something bad occurs notice why it makes you feel negative and the extent to which it does. Next time you feel like berating your spouse because you had a bad day, think of the causes of the bad events. Could the events have been avoided? If so then learn how and make sure the event never again occurs, if not then let it go and do not burden others with your misfortunes. It also helps to take a fast from complaining, take one day a week where no complaints are made throughout the day.

3. Be content. Stop desiring more money, more clothes, a nicer car, a bigger home. If your current needs are being met more material goods will just come in the way of your relationships with others. For example you may feel less compelled to listen to others if you are always listening to the Ipod. Instead of focusing on what you do not have count your blessings again, if you are reading this you probably have far more than most people in this world. However, do not confuse contentment with settling for less. Every one should be seeking to improve themselves in some way and setting goals like increased income is an important part of this. Setting practical goals is different from the day to day desires for junk that the constant bombardment of advertisements causes.

By following these three easy steps optimism will come naturally. An optimistic attitude on life brings great wealth in the form of happiness, a good sense of humor, being well liked, and having more career and relationship opportunities. From an economic standpoint it would be foolish to be pessimistic.

Learn more about this author, Michael Carlin.
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