There are times when I find a great article that I think will help widows to get re-balanced and this is one of those articles.  Read it  and score yourself - just how optimistic are you?

What does being an optimist really mean? Does it mean we always feel positive? Does it imply we have no concerns for the future? Does it suggest that we will forget our challenges and negative feelings and appear sunny no matter what? The answer to these sensible and enquiring questions is comfortingly, “No”.  To be optimistic doesn't mean that you have to forget how you are really feeling about something; you don't have to deny your negative feelings and pretend everything is okay when it is not.  Being optimistic is a much deeper notion than walking around feeling happy - it basically relates to your ability to make the best of what you have got, to optimize yourself and your circumstances regardless of what life brings your way. Thankfully optimism is a skill we can all learn. The key is to become aware of your own energy, to know yourself really well on a physical, emotional, mental and even spiritual level. Being optimistic is intimately intertwined with your personal energy, and if your personal energy is low the last thing you will feel is optimistic.  Use the following quiz to explore how optimistic your energy is by answering true or false to each statement: Physical Energy

• I often wake up in the morning feeling tired
• I don't regularly get 8 hrs of continuous sleep
• I often miss breakfast or eat on the run
• I often eat lunch at my desk, if at all
• I don't exercise enough
• I don't take regular breaks during my working day
• My diet is imbalanced and includes caffeine, alcohol and "convenience" foods

Emotional Energy

• I often feel irritable or impatient at work
• I don't have enough quality time with my family and loved ones
• I frequently worry about my work when I am supposed to be doing other things
• I have too little time for me, for the things I love to do
• I don't stop often enough to notice my progress and accomplishments
• I don't find enough time to appreciate others or simply to smell the roses
• I am not as happy as I'd like to be

Mental Energy

• I am easily distracted during the day, especially by emails
• I have difficulty focusing my attention on one thing
• I spend much of my time reacting and responding to demands
• I can't find the mind space to really focus on things
• I don't take enough time for creative thinking and self-reflection
• I work into the evenings and on the weekends
• I am usually worried about something

Intuitive Energy

• There are significant gaps between what I say is important and how I spend my time
• I don't have a clear sense of purpose in my life
• I don't spend enough time doing what I do best and enjoy most
• My decisions are often driven by external demands rather than my own intuitive sense
• I don't invest enough time in making a positive difference in the world
• I get the sense that there is more to life than this but I'm not doing anything about it
• I want to make a difference but don't know how

 How is your overall energy?

This will give you some insights into how you are managing your energy generally.   Total number of true statements = your score Scores: (0 - 5) You have excellent energy management skills! You are in tune with all different aspects of your energy and will naturally feel optimistic, healthy and full of vitality! You will naturally radiate positive energy and will form strong energetic connections with others. You are able to optimize your life, relationship and business. Keep up the good work! (6 - 10) You are reasonably good at managing your energy. You do listen to your energetic needs and can sometimes balance your energy although there are still times when you ignore your intuition and your natural optimism! You may be excellent at managing a certain type of energy so look back at your scores and work on developing your weaker areas. It should be easy for you to re-energize your life and reconnect with your natural optimistic nature. (11 - 15) You will be suffering from a general lack of energy. You will feel tired and drained. You are used to overriding your intuition to rest and re-energize and as a consequence are likely to feel stressed.  Time to get back in touch with your energy as you are heading for a meltdown.  You will struggle to be optimistic until you get your energy back on track. (16 - 20+) Oh no! You are suffering from a complete energy management crisis! You will already know this at some level but may STILL be ignoring it!  You are highly stressed and on your way to a complete burn-out. Take action now to bring your energies back into balance before it is too late. Once you begin to bring back some self-care and nurture your positive energy your natural optimism will follow. Your energy is dynamic and constantly changing so don't become down-hearted if you find you have some work to do. Make a conscious effort to replace your negative thoughts and actions with positive ones. Instead of looking at a task and saying, "It's impossible," just commit to doing it and enjoying the challenge of a job well done. Instead of viewing an illness as "proof" of how hopeless your life is, look at it as your body's way of telling you that something needs to change, and then work on changing it. Optimism is about positive, can-do beliefs, expectations, choices and strategies, about knowing you are responsible for your life and that you have the ability to be effective on your own behalf. The optimist learns all she can from adversity and propels herself forward towards her goals and vision. The optimist takes credit for things she has accomplished, savors the victories and utilizes  them as fuel for the ongoing journey of dreams and discovery. Expect some curve balls along the way and accept that they are an inevitable part of life. Whatever comes your way, exude positive energies to those around you, and it will be reflected back to you!

Jayne Warrilow is CEO of three international brands: