We’ve all been taught about the difference between optimism and pessimism. Along with that, we’ve been told that it’s much better to be optimistic.

I have always tried to be a positive person on the outside, but I’ve realized through the years that on the inside, I viewed things very pessimistically.

This started weighing on me, so I decided it was time for a change.

The first question I asked myself was, “how do I change this?” I didn’t even know if there was a way to become optimistic. So, if you’re stumbling across this article wondering how I got to where I am, here are a few of the simple things I did.

1. Keeping a journal.

I kept a journal and made an entry in it every day. Even if my day had some bad moments or was all around just not a great day (because that’s totally OK), I would make sure that at the end of the entry, reflecting on my day, I would write down five things I was thankful for.

2. Smiling at people.

Smiling at someone when you walk by them is one of the easiest things a person can do, but yet, not everyone does. I made an effort to start doing this, not even thinking it might make me feel better. I did this because you never know how much one simple smile can mean to someone. But, in the process of this, I also made myself feel better just by doing so.

3. Eating breakfast.

I never ate breakfast...ever. I was always extremely tired and felt like I really wasn’t fully awake in the morning, which impacted my mood. Once I started eating breakfast, even just a piece of toast, I felt so much more energized and ready to take on my day. This, in turn, helped my attitude and my outlook on the day, giving me many more good days.

4. Cutting out toxicity.

I never realized quite how much other people’s negative attitudes could influence my own. When I noticed that the people I was surrounding myself with were being much more negative about basically everything, I knew I needed to make a change. When I cut that toxicity out of my life, it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

There are so many more things besides these four that you can do to become more optimistic. Now, I do all of these things without even trying, and I feel so much better overall. I’m not saying I never have a bad day, though, because that wouldn’t be normal.

What makes it better for me is the fact that I’m so much more aware of all of the blessings I have in my life, and I’m so thankful for all that I do have. I only hope that at some point or another everyone can experience a breath of fresh air, much like this change was for me. Becoming an optimist truly changed my life in the best way possible.