Optimism on Demand

Most of the time people act the way they just happen to feel. For example, if they’re in a gloomy, pessimistic emotional state, that’s more or less how they behave. If they feel upbeat and happy, that’s how they act.

This leaves too much up to chance. Instead of waiting around for the right set of circumstances to lift you into an optimistic frame of mind, why not take steps to produce positive feelings on purpose?

The easiest way to do this is to take mindful, deliberate control of your body. Behave the way you want to feel. Act positive, and you’ll influence your emotional state in a positive direction. Combine this behavior with positive thoughts, and you’ll further reinforce the shift toward optimism.

There are direct linkages between your body and mind. We all know that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are closely interconnected. A change in any one of them directly affects the other two.

Let’s take smiling, for example. It does more than predispose others to smile back at you. It also moves your emotions in a positive direction. In fact, all emotions work this way. If you intentionally set your facial muscles into a frown, you can trigger subtle negative feelings inside. If you put an expression of panic on your face, it will stimulate a sense of fear.

By merely changing your expression, you can create noticeable changes in the autonomic nervous system. As Malcom Gladwell states in Blink, “Emotions can start on the face.”

This drives home the importance of of deliberately managing your demeanor. Simply act “as if” you feel positive, and it will nudge you in that direction. You don’t have to wait until you get lucky or just happen to feel good... you can purposefully choose the body language that will lead you there.

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.”

— Kurt Vonnegut