optimism

Deep Gratitude

Deep Gratitude

Throughout the years, we have all probably made several “gratitude” lists—you know, those ones inspirational speakers encourage you to make. You follow their instructions by finding a blank piece of paper and jotting down 8-10 different things that you’re grateful for. Maybe on your list are things like your job, your family, a next-door neighbor, or a favorite food. 

In my experience, I feel a sense of warmth and happiness as I make lists like these. However, I must admit that somehow, these lists have never really stuck with me—they get shuffled among all my other papers, journals, and books, and if you were to ask me to show you a gratitude list I’ve made, I can’t say I would be able to find one. 

As a society, we praise gratitude. As an individual, I also praise it. So, why do I find myself making list after list, never really remembering the things I put on them? 

Financial Security and Wellbeing

Financial Security and Wellbeing

Many of us can agree that monetary stressors, while are often not in the forefront of our everyday lives, are one of the enduring difficulties that we face. From the time we started saving our allowance for a cool toy, financial worries seem to continually reappear. “Financial peace” - a term popularized by Dave Ramsey in his first book—is something that many people seek. This being said, we can use simple financial adjustments to enhance our well-being in areas of optimism, supportive relationships, community, values and purpose.

Savoring: Embracing The Goodness That Comes Your Way

Savoring: Embracing The Goodness That Comes Your Way

At the end of the day, do you ever have a hard time thinking about what went well for you? Because life can be hard and unpredictable, it’s easy to dwell on what goes wrong within a day. As humans, we have something called a negativity bias. This hinders our recollection of positive experiences, which, according to research, seem to actually occur 3 times more frequently than negative experiences. The good news is that we can apply something called savoring . From the MBS 101 savoring module, “savoring involves mindful awareness of positive experiences to prolong and amplify their value.”

Optimism: How to Find a Bright Future

Optimism: How to Find a Bright Future

What did I learn from delving into optimism? It’s not enough to just have specific hope for things; having an overall worldview that’s positive and encourages growth is just as important as believing in your own merits and effort. Trusting in a perspective that doesn’t allow us to become helpless to what happens to us is really important when it comes to optimism, and it certainly isn’t just believing in sunshine and roses around us. When we feel stuck, optimism can be a powerful tool that enables us to seek for the view that encourages us to move forward.

Mastering the Stage in Your Mind

Mastering the Stage in Your Mind

Our mind is like a stage. Thoughts come and go every second of every day, and as directors of the entertainment, we get to decide which thoughts deserve the spotlight and which ones don’t. As we put the spotlight on more deserving thoughts, we’ll be able to emulate greater happiness in a world that might feel as though there aren’t many things to be happy about.