How Optimistic Thinking Rewires Your Brain

Learn how to rewire your brain with optimistic thinking

Is your glass half empty or half full? How we look at the world can often impact our experiences. With a positive mindset, we can shape our outlook on life and rewire our brains to frame our experiences with hope, optimism, and confidence.

In this post, we’ll explain why optimistic thinking is so important and how to practice it in your everyday life.

Why is optimistic thinking important?

Looking on the bright side of life doesn’t mean we have to ignore any worries or problems in our lives. A positive mindset can help us to cope during challenging or stressful times and have an overall impact on our wellbeing. Turning obstacles into opportunities and challenges into chances leads to self-acceptance and being less critical.

A study by the University of Wisconsin found that when people are emotionally distressed, the most active parts of their brains are those relating to emotions and hypervigilance. By comparison, those with upbeat, positive moods saw less brain activity in these areas.

 

How to practice optimistic thinking

You may be thinking that an optimistic lifestyle is easier said than done, but there are simple and easy changes we can make to attract positive energy and have a better outlook on life. If you often find yourself catastrophising or focusing on the negatives in your experiences and filtering out the positives, here are some tips to change your thinking.

Surround yourself with positive people

Smiles and laughter can be contagious, but negativity can be contagious too. The people you surround yourself with can have a big impact on your mindset. It can be hard to sustain optimistic thinking if a friend is always focusing on what could go wrong.

Have a different approach

Faced with a new task you’ve never tried before? Rather than thinking ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘I don’t have enough experience for this’, try seeing it from another perspective: ‘This is an opportunity for me to learn something new.’

Or, try shifting your attitude from ‘This is too hard’ to ‘I can find a new way of doing this,’ and put your optimistic thinking into action.

Use affirmations

Positive affirmations are optimistic words or phrases that motivate or inspire us, helping to boost self-confidence and challenge negative thinking.

Examples of affirmations:

‘I choose to be happy’

‘I accept and love myself’

‘Nobody but me decides how I feel’

Try incorporating one into your next meditation or writing one onto a post-it note and sticking it to your bathroom mirror.

Practice gratitude

Reminding yourself about what you’re grateful for when you’re meditating is another way to bring positivity to the surface. It could be a recent achievement in your work or personal life that you’re proud of, or something as simple as having a roof over your head and family close by. Often it’s the smallest things that we take for granted, so focusing on these can lift your mood.

Spot where you can improve

You don’t always need to look at life through rose-tinted glasses. Being honest with yourself and catching yourself when you’re slipping into negative thought patterns or tendencies can help you to identify what might be causing them. For example, are you always in the same situation, or with the same people? Realising where you can improve is essential for making progress with optimistic thinking.

Optimistic thinking for professionals

If you’d like to see your working life in more of a half glass full kind of way, this course is for you. Optimistic thinking can be learned and actually rewires your brain. It helps motivate professionals, give them the confidence to take risks, and inspires them to pursue their dreams.

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Working alongside Dr Yates, Paul ensures that services are well organised, accessible and delivered with care.

Paul oversees client relationships and supports the smooth running and development of YPS, helping individuals, families and organisations feel confident and supported from first contact onwards.

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BSc Hons in Tourism Management, Tourism, and Business Management, MSc Psychology Conversion, MSc Occupational Psychology

Working under the clinical supervision of Dr Yvonne Yates, Joseph supports the assessment and development of psychological services across the organisation.

Joseph’s work focuses on:

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He has a strong interest in evidence-based psychology and values clarity, structure and ethical practice.

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HCPC-Registered Educational Psychologist | Founder, YPS Psychology Ltd

Dr Yates has speciailist expertise in ADHD, depression, anxiety, learning differences (SpLD), and emotional wellbeing with children, young people, and adults.

She holds a Doctorate in Psychology (University of Manchester) and has extensive experience delivering:

• Educational psychology assessments, including ADHD and SpLD
• Mental health assessment and therapy
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Dr Yates has worked in public organisations, including, schools, the NHS, and local authorities, and in private practice, for universities, colleges, and therapy healthcare bodies, such as, AXA PPP and Bupa. 

She is the author of Human Givens Therapy with Adolescents (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) and has published peer-reviewed research on adolescent wellbeing.

Her approach combines evidence-based psychology with practical, real-life strategies that help individuals feel calmer, more confident, and better equipped to succeed at school, university, and work.

Outside of work, Dr Yates is an avid crocheter and is also quite partial to silent discos. She looks forward to spending evenings by the fire, and watching movies with the family whilst creating her latest crochet piece.