Life is filled with choices. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.
In today’s times many people say “I was born this way” as an excuse for why they act a particular way. They say this, when in fact, many of us act a particular way because of the choice or choices we have made.
Pessimism and Optimism are choices! Given these choices, why then should we choose 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 and even to long life and freedom from trauma.
On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism are at an all time high. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset of depression has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewife’s disorder but is also seen as a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well.
Here’s how optimists are in action and the research that back up why it really pays to be an optimist:
Optimists EXPECT positive outcomes!
The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events, which will last a long time and undermine everything they do, are their own fault.
The truth is, optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs, is the way that optimists explain their misfortune—it’s the opposite way. Optimists tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case.
Winners feel that a temporary FAILURE should be viewed as FEEDBACK!
Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the ‘problem’ at hand. They use ‘positive reinterpretation.’ In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they perceive it is 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.”
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 who are around them.
Optimism is a desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.
In this season, optimists often win elections; get voted most congenial and sought for advice. When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher. The doom and gloom pessimists get immediate attention but can’t captivate their viewers for very long.
Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do 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 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, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.
So why should you be an optimist today? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life.
Why not be resilient? 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 in the bright side?
These are all CHOICES. But the remarkable thing is, it doesn’t take a life of study and effort. It is a change that can be made Now, Today. The evidence is right in front of you. Look at those at the top of any field. Study their characteristics and habits. Right up there with Looks, Charm, Intelligence, Talent, Money, Effort, you will find a WINNING, POSITIVE, Optimistic Attitude.
Give it a try. Change your attitude, Get a NEW PERSPECTIVE, and change your life!
Adrian Cox
Yes Success Contributor