Cultivating an optimistic outlook has benefits beyond feeling good. Positivity helps us stay open to possibility, letting us see solutions and opportunities that a closed-off, negative perspective might easily miss.

Does this mean we have to deny the presence of negative and painful situations? Wearing blinders isn’t healthy either. Rather, cultivating positivity means choosing to see the world as a series of doors, not dead ends.

Here are four ways to tap your inner optimist this year and feel the effects of positivity in your life.

1. Flex Your Positive Muscle

Like building muscle, cultivating a positive outlook takes practice. Being an optimist doesn’t mean never having another negative thought—those are going to happen. It means facing negative events with an open mind and being able to pivot when things don’t go your way. Reframe adversity—both big and small—as an opportunity to strengthen your positivity.

How: For every negative thought, practice coming up with one or two positive outcomes from it.

2. Make the Good Stuff Stick

The good stuff—a kind word, a nice meal, a compliment—often just passes through our consciousness like soup through a sieve. The key is to catch those positive experiences and give them some staying power.

We do this by training our brain to recognize good feelings and scan the world for uplifting moments.

How: Scan for positive thoughts. Notice how that good thought positively impacts your body, mood and overall outlook. Take a moment to feel grateful for a particular person, act, or accomplishment. Lastly, relish the good thoughts and feelings that you've tuned into.

3. Assume the Best of Others

One of the greatest perks of being an optimist? Rich, rewarding relationships. Optimism encourages openness to new experiences and people. A practiced optimist gives others the benefit of the doubt and expects to like people (until they have a reason not to).

How: When you meet someone new, make the choice to see them as a potential friend, someone you could learn from, or someone whose company you might enjoy. For existing relationships, instead of assuming a friend hasn’t returned your call because they don’t care about you, assume it has nothing to do with you (which usually is true).

4. Give it Away

When you give, you feel useful and valued. Giving also helps you see the world through a positive lens. After all, in order to empower someone else, you have to believe that the effort is worth it.

How: You can give by being a good listener and telling someone how much you appreciate them. You can also advocate for a co-worker who could benefit from support. And don’t be surprised when, as a result, you feel just a bit happier.