Wellness Corner 18: Practical Optimism

Hey Falcons! Welcome back. For our first installment of The Wellness Corner, I’d like to share the power of practical optimism with you. Practical optimism combines a commitment to doing the needful to accomplish one's goals with a positive, opportunistic outlook. Here are three tools you can use to adopt a mindset of practical optimism.

Balancing work and play

Structuring your life — whether academic, artistic, athletic, social, or otherwise — in a way that helps move you closer to a goal is key, but so is celebrating every small achievement along the way. Keep your eye on the next game, but don’t forget to recharge your emotional batteries by spending time with those dear to you doing things you enjoy and that rejuvenate you. 

Expressing thanks

Here’s a way to boost your mood and share the positive spirit with others. Shows of gratitude have been proven by Berkeley scientists to “lessen feelings of social isolation, increase joy and optimism, enhance acting with more generosity and compassion, and improve physical health.”

Be mindful of your emotional state

If our minds wander toward negative thoughts, it’s important for us to note how we are feeling and focus our energy on things that uplift us. However, in some cases, consciously redirecting our thoughts can lead to avoidance of problems. If you’re ever navigating a difficult situation and need someone to talk to, reach out to a faculty member or one of our school psychologists.

Incorporating practices like these into our routine and having a mindset of practical optimism can help us better our quality of life and be more mindful and happy. Wishing you all the best for the academic year.