Looking on the brighter side of things has many benefits apart from keeping us happy and cheerful. The strong faith that everything will be alright will certainly help us sail smoothly through hard times. We are what we think, so let’s think positive for all the good to happen.

Being optimistic is always good for your heart. A study conducted by the US in 2015 found that optimistic people had better cardiovascular health due to lower levels of stress hormones. So by being optimistic, we are keeping stress at bay and in turn protecting our heart.

Another study has linked optimism with high immunity. Positive expectations for the future can always help strengthen immunity. 

How do we cultivate optimism? One certain way is by being grateful for all the good things that have happened in life. Remembering good experiences in life with gratitude will boost cheerful emotions and turn us into optimists. Emiliana Simon-Thomas of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkley, USA, suggests trying to keep a gratitude journal to get into the habit.

Another way of cultivating a bright outlook is by maintaining good healthy relationships. According to Simon-Thomas, our sense of community is more important than our material possessions or even career status. Our close relations with friends and families and healthy interaction with people are a terrific source of happiness which helps to boost positivity.

People who exercise daily are found to be more optimistic than their sedentary counterparts. Apart from keeping us fit and healthy, exercise helps us to be confident of ourselves and increases our self esteem. Make time for half an hour to one hour of brisk walking or jogging several times a week and you will gradually see the difference, not only in your physical health, but also in your spiritual and mental health as it helps to elevate our moods and keeps us mentally strong and positive.

A good night's sound sleep also helps to keep you upbeat. A study conducted has revealed that adults who get around seven to eight hours of sleep scored high on optimism and self esteem than those who slept for less than six hours or more than nine.

Life is like a pendulum, if it moves towards happiness, it also sways towards sorrow. We may not be able to eliminate gloomy feelings, but we can balance them with cheerful ones.

Accepting difficult situations in life and replacing all negative thoughts with positive ones will help us lead a better life. We must pass this on to our kids. A positive upbringing will help kids to become confident individuals with loads of self esteem.

After all, Sir Winston Churchill has said, " The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible".