Optimism: Thinking outside the rut

March 7th, 2025

It is true that where our focus goes, energy will flow. Whatever I fill my mind with (or whatever thoughts I let my mind obsess about) is what I will feel and manifest. So knowing that, I want to focus on optimism: a hopeful and positive attitude toward my future. This practice is one of my key tools to self-manage my bipolar mood swings and the distorted thoughts that come along with it.

To be honest, having an optimistic attitude toward life is not something that comes easily to me — I have a tendency to focus on the heavy dark stuff, the difficulties and fears of the unknown of my mental health condition.

The truth is I used to self-medicate my bipolar with alcohol and it became a full blown addiction. There wasn’t much of a future for me… until I got sober and started changing the way I think. So this perspective is something I have had to put intentional effort into in order for it to become a practice and a habit.

Let’s break this down from a science-based perspective. Look at your brain as a computer with billions of wires; practicing hopeful optimism is about rewiring your brain and creating new neural pathways (connection between neurons) so that you think differently.

Hebb’s Law from neuropsychology states that “neurons that fire together wire together”. In other words, when neurons (your brain cells) repeatedly fire together in a certain way, they create long-term connections which then create habits and automatic behaviors. Basically, rewiring the computer, or your brain.

Point proven, if I constantly repeat to myself during depressive episodes that “there is no point to this, I don’t want to get out of bed, I’m useless….” then eventually I build long-term connections in my brain that make me believe this. And the more I “do it” (meaning the more I say this to myself) the more I am making these neurons build long-term habits. Feeling depressed and having depressive thoughts then become a habit ingrained in my brain…

Luckily, the reverse is also true. If I rewire my brain to focus on positive thoughts, then I am creating a long-term connection with my neurons that will create new hopeful habits of thought and behavior.

There is a reason we use the saying “being stuck in a rut” — it originated in the 1800’s when horse-drawn wagons were used. The wagon wheels would eventually create a well-worn pattern in the roads that became ruts. It was difficult to guide the wagon elsewhere because those wagon wheels… they just couldn’t get out of the rut.

Well the brain works the same way. It takes effort to get the mind to focus on a new thought- outside the rut. But once it’s practiced and repeated, over time, a new well-worn path is created and a direct line to a new habit is formed. The science behind this amazing shift that we all have access to may not seem very romantic; however creating optimistic and hopeful self-talk is absolutely possible. And everyone can do it.

Think outside the rut!

✨STRUGGLES-2-STRENGTHS BLOG aims to connect with those experiencing Bipolar Disorder (BD) like myself, as well as those who support them, by sharing reflections on personal experiences rather than clinical perspectives. Please share with others and don’t hesitate to comment✨*

#struggles2strengths

#livingwellwithbipolardisorder

#bipolardisorderawareness