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“Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars.”
Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts
If you’ve placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time, or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?
In life, you are always filled with choices. You may choose to have a pessimist’s point of view and live a self-defeated life, or you may decide to take the optimist’s route, and choose to have a challenging and fulfilling life.
So why nurture an optimist’s point of view? And why now?
Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success; to popularity, to good health so we can live a long life, and freedom from trauma.
On the other hand, the rates of pessimism and depression have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people.
Here’s how optimists are in action, and why it really pays to be an optimist:
1) Optimists expect the best
The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time, and undermine everything they do. They also tend to believe that everything that happens to them, are their own fault.
The truth is optimists are confronted with the same difficulties of this world. What differs is the way they explain their misfortune—it’s the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, and that its causes are confined to this one case.
Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the ‘problem’ at hand. They use ‘positive reinterpretation.’ In other words, they most likely perceive a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are not bothered by a bad situation. They perceive it as a challenge and try harder.
They won’t say “things will never get better,” “If I failed once, it will happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life.”
Positive expectations of optimists also predict better reactions during changes to new environments, sudden tragedies, and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.
2) People respond positively to optimists
Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.
Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted. Those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria, are treated unfavorably.
In life, optimists often win elections, get voted most pleasurable, and are sought for advice.
3) When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher.
Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress, than people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist, or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.
Optimists hang tough. They just don’t give up easily. They’re also known for their patience. They inching their way a step closer to that goal or their elusive dream.
4) Optimists are healthier and live longer
Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body’s ability to fight disease.
Optimists’ health is unusually good. They age well, and are much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. They also get to outlive those who are prone to negative thoughts.
Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be flexible? Like everybody else you are bound to hit lows sometimes, but don’t just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. And why not inspire others to remove their dark-colored glasses and see life on the bright side?
So why not be an optimist today? Think positively towards a more fulfilled life.
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