Do you constantly feel like a bunch of pirates are going to loot you? Even when you’re simply driving down the freeway in your car? Do you fear that you’re going to lose your job and live in the homeless park near your home? Do you see how the worst possible thing that goes wrong, goes wrong?

Many of us have a constant barrage of negative thoughts that we learned to cultivate during our childhoods. Instead of seeing the world in a positive and optimistic way, we continually wait for the other shoe to drop. We wait to see the worst that can happen because we fix our minds on the worst-case scenario.

Not everyone is like this, however. Nor do you have to see the world through a prism of negativity and disaster.

Here are 9 things the most positive people do every single day to help themselves stay optimistic about the world around them:

1. They don’t ruminate about what happened.

Positive people understand that what happened, happened, and that nothing you do today can change the past. You can change your life only in the present moment. The past keeps you stuck. The present allows you to create the life you want and to take life into your own hands.

2. They live with less guilt and regret.

No matter what they did in the past, positive people don’t have as much guilt or regret about things they did wrong or that went wrong. They see their errors and misguided decisions as things to learn from. They see their paths and the decisions they made in the past as them doing the best they could under the circumstances.

3. They see how disappointments are blessings.

While some may think of disappointments as failures, positive people tend to view disappointments as blessings. They see disappointments as learning opportunities, the seeds of wisdom and experience. They see disappointments as things they can get around. Even if it looks bad now, it’s a gift that has something to offer.

“Virtually nothing is impossible in this world if you just put your mind to it and maintain a positive attitude.” – Lou Holtz

4. They don’t blame others.

Even if they come across something challenging, they don’t blame others for it. They’re not looking to pin the blame, get angry at or hold grudges against the people who might have contributed to the challenges at hand. Positive people generally view others as good people who are doing the best they can under the circumstances.

5. They are actively looking for the good.

You could be in the ocean and notice how dirty the beach is. You could be on an airplane and notice how poor the Wi-Fi is or stuck in traffic and complain about how you seem to spend your life in traffic.

Positive people tend to find the positive in any situation. They have a set of lenses that is scanning the world for anything helpful and inspiring, for the tiny speck of good that comes out of any situation.

6. They keep an eye on their words, thoughts and friends.

Positive people know that words – and, more importantly, thoughts – matter. They are more conscious about what goes into their mind because it can influence their thoughts. They move towards the inspiring and the positive while keeping the critical at bay.

Not only is their intake of information positive, they watch their thoughts through meditation or journaling. They squash thoughts of doom and gloom while celebrating thoughts of hope. They also keep an inner circle of encouraging and inspiring friends instead of people who see the glass as half empty.

7. They see setbacks and disappointments as temporary.

Positive people always look at difficult situations as passing things, like clouds or bad weather. They don’t see heavy rainfall or violent storms as things that stay. They know that with a good attitude, daily progress and an affirmative perspective, the winds of change will be around the corner. Not only do they see setbacks as passing, they see the negative as setting them up for something better.

“Adopting a really positive attitude can work wonders to adding years to your life, a spring to your step, a sparkle to your eye, and all of that.” – Christie Brinkley

8. They stay hopeful.

Along the same lines, positive people never give up hope. The business may be failing, there may not be a single customer and they may be in debt but positive people remain hopeful. They are hopeful that better days are around the corner.

They are hopeful because bad times never last. Finally, they are hopeful because they know that life has constantly come through for them. If they’ve gotten through tough times before, they will get through tough times now.

9. They believe life is working in their favor.

You have a choice as to how you see life’s unfolding circumstances. You can see life and your surrounding circumstances as bad karma, believing that life is looking to stick it to you.Or you can see the world around you as supportive and working to help you achieve your dreams.

If you believe the world is supporting you, you will expect good things to unfold. Surprises, miracles and circumstances will be in your favor each time. Positive people know that a positive worldview is a matter of perspective.Your perspective. Your choice.

How do you stay positive when you encounter a problem? Leave a comment below letting us know!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com