Honing in on our use of positive thinking and dispelling the habit of negative thought patterns can help us in many ways personally and creatively. Since most of the stress we experience in our lives is caused by our own patterns of negative thinking, training in the art of optimism can change the way we view ourselves and life around us. If we believe in ourselves, and believe we can accomplish something, more than likely our reality will reflect that belief. Being able to recognize and capture positive events in our daily lives will also help to act as affirmation that positive things can and do happen if we choose to notice!

As an fun exercise in cultivating optimism through active daily observation try the following for at least one full week:

-Carry a notebook and pen with you everywhere (it can be small enough to fit in your purse or your pocket)
-Actively search out positive events, displays of optimism, things or people that have added a positive element to your day and write them down in your book
-Take the opportunity each day to accomplish at least 3 positive actions on your own in your own life or the life of another and write them down in your book
-Write in your book 3 positive things about yourself that come to you each day
-Pick a different person each day (either a stranger, friend, family member or acquaintance) and write in your book 3 positive observations about them
-At the end of the week go back and look at everything positive you have captured!

Let us know how it goes!

For more info please visit my blog on cultivating creativity:
cultivationofcreativity.blogspot.com/