Optimism Is a Muscle. Here Is the Five-Minute Workout, with Charles Inniss

Optimism is not a personality trait. It is a muscle, and muscles grow with reps. My friend Charles Inniss, a physical therapist turned optimism coach and author of Up Your Optimism Game, returns to the Feast to break down the 24 mental muscles behind joy, confidence, and peace of mind. Charles gives you a five-minute daily workout to build them. In this episode:The 24 mental muscles, and the three that count as coreDoom scrolling as pessimism cardio, and how to reprogram your feed"How do you want to be?" Picking an emotional goal, not just a career goalAffirmations that feel like lying, and the four keys that make them believableThe strengths resume, live, plus the five-minute daily mental workoutChapters:0:00 Intro: the voice in your head2:28 The men's group question: who trained us to be this way?3:48 Pride goeth before the fall9:25 Mental muscles: the premise of Up Your Optimism Game12:10 Doom scrolling is pessimism cardio21:28 The pit, and three words: joy, create, connect25:09 How do you want to be?27:57 Wrecking your mental health to fix your physical health31:53 The skeptic: gratitude fatigue and affirmations that feel like lying36:08 When does hope become denial? Growth vs protection41:15 Chop down the blaming tree46:01 Rak in the chair: the strengths resume51:09 The five-minute mental workout56:19 Strengths glasses and the forgiving wimp1:06:09 We see the world as we are1:07:57 Joy through the journey, game night, and a thank youFind Charles: charlesinniss.com (which includes a link to the his book on Amazon).The Health Feast is where health stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like a joyful and abundant feast. Hosted by Dr. Rak Jotwani, board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine and Internal Medicine. New episodes every week. If this episode was useful, leave a review. It is the best way to help the show reach more people. Live well and RAK ON.This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own physician or healthcare provider. Always consult a qualified professional before making changes to your exercise, nutrition, or health routine. The views expressed are those of the hosts and guests only and do not reflect the views of any employer or affiliated institution.