10 Ways To See The Good in Bad Situations [A Quick Optimism Lesson]

If you’re depressed or stressed and want help to see the good in bad situations, here’s a quick optimism lesson.

I personally know how tough life can feel at times.

Plus…I also know that if you put in the effort to expand your perspective, you can always see a glimmer of something good even in bad situations.

There’s always a lesson to be learned – and strength to be earned.

I am always reminding my coaching clients and instagram followers to seek out a little bit of happiness in all of life’s crappiness.

I purposefully say it in a funny way – to loosen up people’s tight grip on their commitment to negativity.

I’m a big believer in searching for the gain in one’s pain.

Charles R. Swindoll said it well when he wrote:

“We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”  ― Charles R. Swindoll

Below are 10 reminders to help you see the good in bad situations.

If you put in the effort to expand your perspective, you can always see the good in bad situations. Here are 10 ways to see in the good. You can consider this a kind of quick crash course in optimism.

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10 Ways To See the Good in Bad Situations

1. Repeat the following phrase until it sinks into your brain cells: “Things are happening for me – not to me.” Become curious – not furious. Think up reasons to believe that “rejection is redirection.” And “not getting what you want” is actually “bringing you to something better.”
2. If someone’s not responding to a text, or something is not happening as quickly as you want, or different than you expected, ask yourself: “What else can this mean?” Reminder: We live in a world of a million and one interpretations. Try not to stay focused on simply one interpretation. Plus definitely don’t focus on the very worst interpretation.
3. Ask yourself directly: “What could be something good which comes from this situation – even if I must wait a while for the good to emerge?” Get creative. Brainstorm possibilities.
4. Ask yourself: “What level is your problem on a scale of 1 – 10?” Then make sure your emotional response is appropriate for the challenge being presented.  Don’t allow yourself to feel 10 level emotional pain over a 3 level problem. Reminder: If your situation is temporary – and not permanent – then you should not be allowing yourself to feel a level 10 in emotional pain.
5. Ask yourself:  “How would someone you respect deal with what you’re facing?”
6. Make the word “forward” your new mantra – then aim your thoughts and actions in that direction.
7. Focus 20% on the problem – and 80% on the solution.
8. Focus 20% on what’s going wrong in your life – and 80% on what’s going right in your life. Gratitude to a great antidote to negativity.
9. Create a plan – so you feel like there’s a way out from where you presently are. Write it down. Become super clear on your vision for what you want your life to look like – then super clear on the steps you need to take to get yourself there.
10. Make a list of all the lessons you’re learning. Thank your pain for all the gain.

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Ever wish that “STRESS” had an off switch? It does. Learn about my ANXIETY CURE course.