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Here's why looking on the bright side is crucial

Whether you're nervous about a presentation you're slated to make before investors, worried about lab results following a doctor's visit, or freaking out about a blind date you have coming up, does it benefit you in any way to think the very worst?

Absolutely not!

As soon as a situation presents itself that forces us out of our comfort zone, for many of us a sense of pessimism kicks in immediately.

We assume we're going to bomb the presentation. We convince ourselves the lab results will reveal something serious. We anticipate the date will be a total disaster.

Seeing the glass as half empty erodes our confidence and can even do a number on our self-esteem.

It's normal to feel a little anxiety in such situations, but getting extremely worked up won't help matters at all.

Instead, we need to force ourselves to consider alternative -- and decidedly positive -- scenarios.

Who says things can't things go smoothly?

Chances are you've been in similar situations and came out okay, so why can't the same happen this time around?

Maybe you feel getting a promotion hinges on knocking that presentation out of the park, or that you might never get the opportunity to go out on a date with someone so attractive ever again.

Again, it's all speculative. You don't know any of that for sure because you can't see into the future.

What if things really don't go as well as you'd hoped?

Well, you can cross that bridge once you arrive at that point. But until then, it's counterproductive to dream up scenarios in your mind that may never come to pass.

That's not to say that you should always assume you'll get exactly what you want in every given situation.

You can't control everything that happens to you. You can only control your reaction to circumstances. Whether you react positively and charge ahead, or negatively and assume the worst, is up to you.

That being said, having a negative mindset does absolutely nothing to better our cause. In the worst cases, it can lead to severe anxiety, depression, and other adverse outcomes.

Even though we all encounter our fair share of bumps in the road -- sometimes at the worst possible times -- we should try our best to relax and tell ourselves that it will all work out.

Don't allow your brain to trap you in a negative mental loop. Remember, your thoughts wield tremendous power over your emotions.

By thinking positively, you can regain control of your life. Rather than allowing your negative thoughts to keep you in a state of angst and hopelessness, break that pattern by telling yourself that things can -- and will -- turn out well.

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