staying optimistic

Lewis Hamilton of  Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team said he "prefers to stay optimistic" but added: "It will not be easy. The gap is really big but there is a long way to go.". He is chasing for the elusive 8th championship title this year unfortunately his car is nowhere near the top two teams : Ferrari and Red Bulls. 

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

It’s crucial to be clear that optimism isn’t, and shouldn’t be confused with, toxic positivity—or pretending everything is perfect even though there’s information to prove otherwise. What optimism really is involves an attitude of hopefulness about the future and that's the key—if you believe there's a real possibility that things will get better, then you're willing to put the work in that's needed to make things better.

Being optimistic doesn’t mean pushing down the negative emotions—because that borders on toxic positivity, which is unhealthy.  As hard as it seems to pull ourselves out of the negativity we have to do so whenever possible because the anxious negative simulations about the future really affect our bodies in a big way.

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice — you're creating a new habit, after all. 

Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's work, your daily commute, life changes or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way. Think of a positive thought to manage your stress instead of a negative one.

Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.

Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.

Follow a healthy lifestyle. Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can also break it up into 5- or 10-minute chunks of time during the day. Exercise can positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. Get enough sleep. And learn techniques to manage stress.

Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.

Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.

Back to Hamilton, there are more than 20 races to go for the rest of the year.  Based on historical performance Mercedes for sure would come up with some solutions one way or the other. Of course the question is if it would be too late as both the competitors would do the update themselves. Of course the season is still young and there is no reason to succumb to negativity