Pearl Nash
No one likes someone who’s continuously negative and complaining about things in life!
On the other hand, being positive and optimistic are qualities that people are celebrated for having.
You see, positive and optimistic people have a way of continuously inspiring others.
But what are their traits that people really admire? Here are 12 of the most common.
1) They practice gratitude daily
Let’s get straight to it:
There are so many things to be grateful for, each and every day.
These can be little or big things…
From the fact we have a bed to sleep in and a kettle in the kitchen, to having people around us who love and care for us, or even the opportunity in life to do things we simply want to do.
There are endless reasons to be grateful.
But sometimes we can lose touch with gratitude and focus on all of the things we don’t have in life and things that we want.
However, this is not what positive and optimistic people spend their time doing.
These folks are tuned into the wonderful things about each and every day.
My dad is someone who’s so positive and optimistic in many ways, and one thing he does each and every day is express gratitude.
He even calls his shower his ‘gratitude booth’. Yep, you read that right!
Each morning, he climbs into his ‘gratitude booth’ and expresses deep gratitude for the fact he’s alive, the fact he lives in a house and that people around him are healthy, amongst many things!
2) They are open-minded and open to change
Positive and optimistic people do not have closed minds.
It’s unlikely you’ll find someone like this with a stance that things are set in stone and fixed.
Instead, they are open to new things entering their lives and taking them in an unexpected direction.
In other words, they embrace change with open arms and love the fact that life is all about change.
You see, they see change as something positive and something that brings more opportunities… As opposed to something that is scary and negative.
I like to think of myself as someone who is positive and optimistic – and, in my experience, I feel myself getting very excited at the prospect of new ways of living and doing things.
Simply put, I love to lean into unknown territory because there’s so many amazing things that can come about from change!
3) They don’t give up
If a positive and optimistic person has their heart and mind set on something, you can bet that they’re going to keep at it.
In other words, they’re not quitters!
Because their mindset is right, these folks will follow through on the things that they’re focused on…
…They won’t throw in the towel easily and they will have a strong belief system that shapes their decision to keep at something.
Even when things get really tough and they can feel themselves struggling through things, they keep at it because they know it will be worth it!
It can be anything from how they workout and don’t quit on reps to their commitment to a creative project they’re working on.
4) They do what they love
People who have a positive and optimistic outlook are likely to be people that do what they love.
You see, they are the sort of people who have taken the time to understand what is important to them and they double down on it!
They ensure that they spend time doing things that they love…
…From their hobbies they invest their time into the type of professional work they do.
These folks know that it’s necessary to fill their time doing things that they love to keep them feeling optimistic and positive about life.
They love having a purpose!
5) They surround themselves with positivity
Positive and optimistic people surround themselves with people who match their energy.
They know that other people have the potential to rub off on them and that we are the sum of the people we spend time with, so they choose carefully!
More likely than not, positive and optimistic people will have a group of friends who also see the world like them.
When they get together with these friends, they’ll likely share thoughts on how there is so much joy in life and spread optimism!
In my experience, I’m very conscious about seeking out people who also see life from an inspired place.
You see, it inspires and lifts me up – encouraging me to be the best version of myself!
6) They smile often
It’s probably not surprising that positive and optimistic people are likely to smile often.
You see, these people have a lot to smile about.
Positive and optimistic people are genuinely happy about life, and they’re always looking for the good in situations so they naturally have all the reasons to smile.
What’s more, when they do smile, it’s the sort of genuine smile that makes others want to smile back.
In my experience, you can tell when someone has a fake smile… It just doesn’t feel the same, and it makes you feel a little creeped out!
A real smile comes from the eyes!
7) They focus on strengths
Positive and optimistic people have a way of focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses.
While we all have strengths and weaknesses, positive people like to highlight the strengths in themselves in others.
You see, while it’s easy to focus on the negatives in life and to call out someone else’s shortcomings, it’s not what positive people tend to do.
In fact, if someone is talking about themselves negatively and highlighting all of the things that are wrong with them, a positive person will direct them to all of their strengths.
For example, a friend of mine was saying that she thought she was too boring and didn’t do enough socially, but I just reminded her that she’s achieved so much through her time being more introverted.
You see, she’d started working on a book and she’d been studying part-time around her work. These were things worth celebrating!
8) They don’t hold grudges
Positive and optimistic people know that grudges are a waste of time.
They know that holding onto resentments and frustration only causes them to feel unhappy…
…In other words, they know that grudges just do harm to themselves.
So, while no one can avoid feeling upset or offended by others from time to time, positive and optimistic people don’t let it affect them forever more.
Simply put, they let things go.
They know it’s not worth letting an issue bring them down, and they rise above it with their positive perspective!
9) They focus on building deep relationships
More often than not, positive and optimistic people are focused on building successful relationships with people.
They place an emphasis on building long-lasting and meaningful relationships with others, as they recognize the fulfillment that comes from them!
These folks don’t necessarily have big groups of people around them, but they have deep friendships with people they care about.
What’s more, these are like-minded people who lift them up and inspire them!
10) They show resilience
Adversity is something that cannot be avoided…
…Part of being human is dealing with difficult situations.
Unfortunately, no one can go through life without experiencing misfortune and pain. It is just part of life!
But unlike negative people, positive people have a level of resilience when they’re faced with adversity.
They’re able to bring a perspective to the situation, where they think that things will get better…
…They know that they have to grit their teeth and keep pushing on, because it won’t be like this forever!
11) They accept compliments
Have you ever complimented someone, only for them to say “do you think so?” or “really?”
I’ll be honest: there have been times in my life where I’ve been this person.
However, you won’t find an optimistic and positive person rejecting or doubting a complement…
…Instead, they’ll say “why thanks!” and welcome your compliment with open arms.
These days, when someone tells me they like something about my outfit or something else about me, I’ll affirm that I like it too or just simply say “thanks”.
What’s more, by doing this you give others permission to do the same…
In other words, you show others that this is how you should be!
12) They are patient
Positive and optimistic people know things take time… and they’re willing to put the work in and wait for results.
These folks trust the process of life, and they don’t try to rush it.
They know that rushing causes stress and anxiety, and it ultimately brings about a negative situation.
You see, positive and optimistic people have no doubt in the things they want coming into fruition.
They’re optimists, after all!
They don’t fear that things won’t work out and they need to hurry the process to ensure it does…
Instead, they just accept that things simply take the time that they need to and believe that something will happen when it happens.
