Walking on the Sunny Side of the street

I first heard the term ‘’ Walking on the sunny side of the street’’ when speaking to someone I admire a lot, the idea that there is light and shadow and when we can, to try and walk where the sun is shining.  This sometimes can be easier said than done, and with everything happening in the world and in our own lives we maybe feeling even more fatigued, maybe even feeling we can’t be bothered! Remember, these tips are for self-management, wellbeing promotion. If you need to speak to someone please do, there are many services available.  If you ever feel so despairing you have thoughts of suicide, please speak to someone. The Samaritans are there 24/7 365 Freephone 116 123

Being optimistic doesn’t mean you don’t recognise there can be threats, but your belief in a positive outcome is stronger and this belief makes you more likely to find out more about the threat and ways to manage it or overcome it. Whereas a pessimistic attitude can make you give up before getting started and not bother seeking solutions as you don’t see the point

Our self-talk can also influence how we feel about a situation, and its worth becoming aware of our internal voice. Perhaps check out ‘what are you saying to yourself, because you are listening’  in our video section, If you think this may be of interest to you. Telling ourselves how awful something is, while natural, doesn’t leave us feeling energetic, in fact, it can make us feel even more overwhelmed. Telling ourselves we may be in a situation we don’t like, but we are going to find a way through it, can help us feel motivated to explore other options, or speak to someone about it and may be see if they can help. Being aware of our self-talk is a good place to start in thinking about developing a more optimistic attitude which seeks to find ways for us to walk on the sunny side of the street.

This wee card and tips sheet offers some ideas of things which can help us feel more optimistic. Being optimistic doesn’t mean we don’t see the challenges; it just helps us see a time beyond the challenge and that can make a big difference to how we feel.