Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Can optimism be learned? According to this article, the answer is yes. Here are seven tips to increase your optimism and why it’s important.

In short, optimism makes you happier and healthier. It helps you bounce back from setbacks, makes you more resilient, and increases your productivity. It also makes you more attractive to others – both personally and professionally.

So how can you become more optimistic?

1) Be mindful of your thoughts – pay attention to the language you use when thinking about yourself and others. For example, instead of thinking “I’m so stupid,” reframe that thought to “I made a mistake.”

2) Practice gratitude – be thankful for what you have, both big and small. This includes being grateful for the good moments as well as the bad moments, because they all make us who we are.

3) Take care of yourself – eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and take time for yourself. All of these things help boost your mood and increase your resilience.

4) Challenge yourself – set goals for yourself and push yourself to achieve them. This will help you feel more in control of your life and increase your sense of accomplishment.

5) Connect with others – social support is crucial for happiness and wellbeing. Reach out to your friends and family members, join a supportive online community, or seek out a therapist or life coach if you need extra support.

6) Look on the bright side – when something bad happens, try to find a silver lining. This may not be easy at first, but with practice it becomes easier. And eventually, looking on the bright side will become second nature to you.

7) Stay positive – above all else, remember to stay positive! Positivity breeds positivity, so keep your mind focused on the good things in life.”

So why should managers, business owners and supervisors care about being optimists? Optimists are more successful than pessimists because they:

• Tend to have better mental and physical health
• Have better relationships
• Are more creative
• Are more productive
• Make better decisions
• Are less stressed
• Are less likely to give up in the face of failure

If you’re a manager, business owner or supervisor, it’s important to be an optimist because it will make you a more successful leader. Positivity breeds success so if you want your team to be successful, you need to be positive yourself.

Find out more in the original article here: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/optimism/7-tips-to-increase-your-optimism-why-its-important/

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference. 

How do you build and maintain credibility as a leader? In order to be a credible leader, you need to be authentic, passionate, knowledgeable, consistent, humble and strategic. Let’s take a closer look at each of these tips.

1. Be authentic: People can see through inauthenticity, so it’s important to be genuine in your interactions with others. Wear your heart on your sleeve and let your true personality show. This will make you more likable and trustworthy.
2. Be passionate: When you’re truly passionate about something, it shows. Share your enthusiasm for your work with others and let them see the dedication that you have to your goals. This will inspire them to want to work with you and help you achieve your objectives.
3. Be knowledgeable: It’s important to know what you’re talking about if you want people to take you seriously. Be sure to do your research and have a firm understanding of the topics that you’re discussing. If you don’t know something, say so and admit when you don’t have all the answers.
4. Be consistent: People need stability in their lives and they appreciate consistency in their leaders. Be reliable and predictable in your actions so that people can count on you to follow through on what you say.
5. Be humble: No one likes a bossy boots, so remember to keep your ego in check. Modesty is key when it comes to being a credible leader. Let your accomplishments speak for themselves and avoid taking all the credit for yourself.
6. Be strategic: Plans are only successful if they are executed well, so it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate when making decisions. Take the time to consider all of the possible outcomes before making a move and make sure that your actions are aligned with your goals

So how can you make sure that you are seen as credible? One key is to be honest and authentic in your actions and communications. Don’t try to be someone you’re not; people will see through that quickly. Stay true to your values and beliefs, and let your actions reflect them. It’s also important to be consistent in your behaviour; if you say one thing but do another, people will lose faith in you.

You can also build credibility by being helpful. Offer your knowledge and expertise freely, and be willing to help others achieve their goals. And finally, don’t be arrogant or self-important. Remember that you’re not the only one who can lead; there is always room for improvement. humility is a key trait of successful leaders.

Find out more in the original article here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2016/07/08/6-tips-for-building-and-maintaining-credibility-as-a-leader/?sh=4d3b0c8d3424

This article summary was created by Eleanor Shakiba

Eleanor is a leadership trainer, success coach and people skills expert. She helps managers and business owners build thriving teams and organisations, using tools from Positive Psychology. She's trained more than 60,000 people during her career as a corporate trainer and professional development consultant. Her mission is inspiring talented people to become leaders who make a difference.