Do you have an optimistic or pessimistic mindset?
I remember last year I was preparing for company keynotes and fireside chats for World Wellbeing Week. My goal was to support leaders and managers to think about formats for hybrid working and how to raise awareness of the impact on employees' wellbeing in and outside of the workplace.
It was fascinating to see the conversations and how they are approached. With an optimistic lens, companies viewed it as an opportunity to take some risks to break the mould of how they usually work. Identifying how to dismantle some of the traditional values and approaches to create more wellbeing, more openness, and really redesign what the office can do to support collaboration and connection
Companies approaching it with more of a pessimistic mindset were undoubtedly scared. The focus was placed on productivity and presenteeism versus looking at what could be an expansive way of perhaps attracting amazing talent and redefining their culture for strategic success.
The statements above are obviously looking at it at a higher level from a company perspective. But as with everything, it starts with the individual in the company, so in this blog, I want you to think about how you are approaching events and changes in your life. Are you viewing them from an optimistic or a pessimistic mindset?
Do you have an optimistic or pessimistic mindset?
You have a pessimistic mindset if you feel as if everything feels insurmountable, and this results from the actions you take are not going tol help you flourish long-term, but will more likely bring you more of what you don't want.
On the other hand, having an optimistic mindset means hoping and expecting things to turn out well. Although obviously, you don't want to be naively optimistic, you should still expect what might be some of the roadblocks in your path. But you are more likely to take actions that are associated with past performance that you know you have achieved success before.
If you are leaning towards being pessimistic, there are three questions you can use to reframe your mindset.
"Is this change permanent?"
When challenging things or events happen to you, are you likely to see the connection to it being an isolated, timed and/or specific event?
Or are you more likely to see this as a permanent thing in your life where you're forced down in a negative pathway and that there's nothing you can do about it? What often happens in this situation is that you move into a space called “learned helplessness". This is a term from Martin Seligman, and it means that you lean back and give up because you don't think you have any control.
"Is this a pervasive thing that's happening in your life?"
Pervasive means something that has a tendency to spread.
Reflect and think about how you view all difficult events in your world. Do you perceive them as a continued sprawling mix of endless issues in your world? Is this new thing/event an extension of that?
Or do you believe that it is only a period that will eventually pass or can be curtailed and you have the confidence to overcome it?
"Do you see disruption change as a personalised attack?"
Do you fall into victim mode quickly? Or are you able to see your role in the situation and accept that there are also other situational forces and people involved?
When you start to be very aware of how you are operating and the decisions you are making, you can choose to stay on a course towards a path of wellbeing that is fruitful. Leaving you less likely to fall into a place of learned helplessness and operate in a pessimistic mindset.
Constantly navigating changes with an optimistic mindset is one of the things I support my clients with. The landscape of work means that managers and leaders are constantly asked to think quickly and take action. The power and agency they develop and hone can play a positive role in cultivating their wellbeing and their teams.
As you approach work today and onwards, think about the lens through which you view challenges.
For example, it's Monday, and some emails just landed in your inbox, and it's not the way you wanted them to be.
Are you going to see this as something that is always happening to you and that you're attracting unconsciously?
Maybe you can pause for a second and think instead of rushing in with negativity. What could you do/try differently? Maybe you need to realise that some situations are just bigger than you. Who could you ask for support?
How can you take a moment and think about what choice to make or act on next?
Or will you look through a lens of pessimism and create actions that don't support your growth? Or will you add a dash of realism and optimism and pick the best step for you to move forward positively?
I hope that's been helpful! I'd love to know your thoughts. Are you naturally optimistic? Are you more pessimistic? Please share your thoughts by sending me a message on Instagram!