Cheerfulness is a great feature of a person to find something beautiful in every day. Unfortunately, not all people have this ability. But what does psychology say? Is cheerfulness an inborn character trait or is this quality amenable to development? We will examine in more detail in this matter.
Definition
Each of us intuitively understands the meaning of the word "cheerfulness". People with this quality stand out from the crowd with a wide, sincere smile, gleam in their eyes and calmness on their faces. Nevertheless, in psychology there is a specific definition of “cheerfulness”, it reads as follows: “it is a personal quality that expresses a person’s positive perception of life and emerging circumstances, the ability to endure difficulties persistently.”
A few more words about cheerfulness
Consider the definition in more detail. Cheerfulness is:
- the ability to see the positive in everyday things that few people bring joy, for example, in the early morning, in a mug of tea, in rain and snow;
- the ability not to lose heart in difficult situations;
- friendly perception of life, whatever it may seem at the moment;
- the ability to trust the future without worrying about it;
- the ability to understand that life is the most valuable gift a person has;
- the ability to be happy here and now, without reference to the past and unnecessary anxiety.
The benefits of cheerfulness
"Cheerfulness" is a quality of character that gives optimists several advantages over other people:
- she maintains faith in people and helps to move forward, in spite of all circumstances;
- helps to see the meaning in the simplest actions;
- an optimist is free from negative emotions and suffering;
- a cheerful person is self-sufficient, he is well alone with himself: he will not be painfully dependent on relationships and the presence of a partner in his life, respectful of the personal space of another person;
- the optimist sees in other people only positive traits and helps to reveal them;
- cheerful people are able to meet difficulties with dignity and learn from them positive lessons for the development of their personality.
Manifestation
We’ll tell you how optimism manifests itself in everyday life.
- A cheerful person is always surrounded by people. They feel his positive energy and warmth of communication. The optimist not only always smiles, but also charges those who are close with a good mood.
- An optimist knows how to maintain composure in stressful or extreme situations, when a pessimist falls into a panic and loses control.
- Cheerfulness is the best cure for diseases, even if they are considered serious or incurable. Getting positive emotions and joy every day, as well as faith in recovery helps to cure even cancer. This was told by one of the participants in the movie "Secret". A striking example is Louise Hay - a famous author of books, a woman who independently cured herself of a cancerous tumor.
Where does cheerfulness live?
Cheerfulness lives in:
- new knowledge: continuous training teaches something to value time and life;
- in communication: cheerfulness is optimism, transmitted along the chain from one person to another, that is, a positive environment helps to look at yourself from the other side and get rid of negative emotions;
- in trainings: psychology is able to reveal the joy of communicating with oneself and new aspects of the inner world, as a result, a person’s life becomes more harmonious and a feeling of happiness appears;
- in a careful and respectful attitude to yourself: remember the well-known saying "Until you love yourself, no one will love you", this is easy to explain, since the attitude of other people is a reflection of how a person treats himself.
5 steps to gain optimism
The development of cheerfulness is a doable task, although for many it is not an easy task. We offer you five steps to help unleash the joy of life.
- Start the morning with a smile and little things that make awakening enjoyable. It can be a cup of coffee or tea with sweets, a favorite song or something else that gives you a positive mood. Smile at your reflection, husband, children, hug them, do not load your mind in the morning with problems and troubles.
- Take the habit of being happy, even if there is no mood. Depression and a dull expression on your face will certainly not help to cope with difficult circumstances. Wear a good mood the same way you wear clothes. It will be difficult at first, but then it will become a habit.
- When trouble has piled up and negative emotions are crushing, resentment, disappointment, longing, calm down, focus on breathing - this helps to come to a state of balance. Think about what upsets you, why you feel that way. For convenience, you can create a notebook in which you will record your thoughts. Some conclusions may be completely unexpected and open your eyes to problems that you have not noticed before, but they prevented you from living a full life.
- Do not bring work problems to your home walls, but to work what needs to be left at home. Everything has its time, unload the mind, this will help not to feel tired around the clock.
- Laugh more. Cheerfulness is also a good sense of humor. Watch funny videos, comedies, cartoons, organize contests for friends and practical jokes. Laughter and happiness go together.
Let optimism and cheerfulness accompany you every day. Each person decides to be happy or unhappy independently, and the quality of life and psychological state directly depend on this choice. Tolstoy said: "In human existence there is no other purpose than good and joy. This goal is worthy of life."