OPTIMISM

Maintaining an optimistic, looking-forward-to-life outlook is a special form of LIFE ATTITUDE. Research shows that optimism is the "Master Life Attitude," a key not only to stress management, motivation and peak performance, but a key especially to rebounding from adversity, preventing depression and anxiety disorders, promoting wellness, recovering from illness, and "keeping the faith" through difficult times in relationships. See also ASSERTIVENESS AND ANGER MANAGEMENT.

Optimism Assessment

If you answer "Yes" to 3 or more of the questions below, OR if you have a strong "Yes, that describes me perfectly!" reaction to even one or two questions, you will benefit from counseling for Optimism.

1. Do you often feel that bad things are more likely to happen to you than are good things?
2. Do you see your future being worse than your present, or do you feel that a bad present will probably get no better?
3. When some misfortune happens to you, or you do something poorly, are you likely to think the misfortune or poor performance is mostly about you, "your fault"?
4. When some misfortune happens to you, or you do something poorly, do you find yourself making global negative statements, such as "All those people are stubborn, stupid, unfair, worthless, etc…," or "There is a black cloud over me," or "I (or we or they) just don't have enough talent or ambition"?
5. When some misfortune happens to you, or you do something poorly, do you find yourself unable to compartmentalize the negative feelings so that they seep into other aspects of your life?
6. When some misfortune happens to you, or you do something poorly, do you find yourself saying that the negative event or performance is due to some permanent factor, something that "always has been" or "always will be"?
7. Are you more likely to see the problems and weaknesses in yourself or others than you are to see the strengths?
8. Do people who are very honest with you and care deeply about you tell you that you have a lot of negative viewpoints, or that you are a "downer"?

COPYRIGHT PEAK OF SUCCESS 2004

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