The financial forecasts say we are bouncing back from the 2009 economic downturn. Although there are countless people out of work, looking for a change, or worried about their own security I see one common denominator that is going to make a great economy and that is OPTIMISM.

Optimism is a state of mind, and it’s a personal choice. Optimism is also contagious and therefore I highly recommend that you bring your personal best attitude with you as you face each and every day. You must DECIDE to be optimistic, COMMIT to doing what you need to do to staying optimistic and as a result you will SUCCEED at whatever you intend to do. Whether it is to lead a great team, operate a successful business, complete a project, land a great job or get a promotion; fulfill your role to the best of your ability and start with an optimistic outlook.

It’s simple, but it’s not always easy. Only 10% of an audience will raise their hands to indicate that they are positive all the time, and of that 10%, most of them also admit that they have to work on their optimism daily. When you DECIDE to be optimistic no matter what, you need to COMMIT to doing what it takes to maintain your optimism daily. My commitment to optimism is a morning ritual of thinking time and meditation. For others, it’s music or exercise, audio programs or spending time with optimistic people.

For example, I recently met a lady whose organization had a change in leadership, and they brought with them their support staff, so she was out of a job. Rather than being concerned or worried about the change in her career, she spends her time actively looking for new and exciting opportunities, and believes she is in a good place, and that things will work out excellent in the long run.

Times passes, things change, disasters creep up on us, we go through a crisis, our coworkers leave, the company gets downsized and so on. Whatever the stimulus, we have a choice. We can choose to respond in a way that is in sync with our roles, goals and mission in the workplace. (Don’t have any? Not good, but be optimistic anyway because you can take the time to determine your roles, goals and mission.) When you spend the time to determine what you want, and what is important to you, you can use that as a frame of reference and choose your response in any situation.

In my expertise in Workplace Relations: Strategies For Improving Workplace & Customer Relations, optimism is key to relationships. If you go to work optimistic that there is opportunity for fabulous harmony amongst coworkers, and huge potential for awesome client relationships then there will just that. Create a great culture with your own optimism. It’s the first and most important element that you bring to all relationships.

Life is only 10% what happens to you, but 90% how you respond. Choose to respond, and not to react. With your clarity of what you want from your career, you will be able to work on being optimistic even in the toughest times. Like a muscle that gets worked, your optimism will be strengthened. People like happy people, customers like happy service personnel, staff like happy managers, children thrive on happy parents and teachers and so on. The overall success of any company is taken to newer heights when its corporate culture is one of optimism despite any circumstances.