Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? In simple terms, an optimist focuses on hope. A pessimist focused on doubt. An optimist thinks about the good that can be in a situation. A pessimist thinks about all the things that could go wrong in a situation.
Positivity (or what I call ‘conscious optimism’) promotes and induces responsibility in everyone, including children. A positive attitude, just like happiness, begins between the ears. Both are skills that anyone can develop.
In fact, the most important thing people can control is their state of mind. Is your state of mind more like an optimist or a pessimist? You really do have a choice! A state of mind is something that one undertakes. It cannot be purchased. It must be created. What mindset are you creating for yourself?
Model Being an Optimist
Thinking and acting responsibly begins with how a person shapes their thoughts and communicates those thoughts with others. So you could say that promoting optimism also promotes responsibility.
As leaders, teachers, and parents, we have an obligation to help others, especially the young, to shape and control their thoughts so that their impulses and tendency to blame and complain do not control them. When people become mindful of their thoughts, that is when they feel empowered to take responsibility for their decisions and actions.
Tip: Focus on being an optimist rather than a pessimist. Model that mindset to young people. The more you control your mindset, and help young people develop the same skill, the more apt everyone is to increase responsibility and reduce stress
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