There are several versions of the definition of optimism, my favorite being, "a tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things; to be hopeful and confident that all will work out for the best." Please don't confuse this sort of optimism with Pollyanna(ism), which means to be unreasonably or illogically optimistic. As much as I live the life of an optimist, I am also a realist, so I choose to take on the attitude that recognizes life's challenges, but simply choose to believe that all WILL work out for the best. I believe this with all my heart. People who are optimistic don't deny that problems exist; they learn how to adapt while searching for solutions. I know, I know, there are days when nothing seems to go right! Some days it's very difficult to see the silver lining in the clouds, but it's important that you do, especially for your physical and mental well-being! The staff at Mayo Clinic talks about how optimism can improve your health, so you might want to check that out here. And this one, by Web MD, will give you tips on how to become more optimistic.
Robert Brault once said that "an optimist is someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it's a cha-cha." (I got a visual on that one, and it made me smile.)
Optimism is a choice. It's all about how you look at life. Each day we can choose whether to live like Eeyore, Winnie the Pooh's chronically gloomy friend, or to rise above it. We can choose to see the good in front of us, even when faced with bad situations. Hanging outside Eeyore's front door is a sign that reads "Eeyore's Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad." Choose to hang a better sign on your door!
"The average pencil is seven inches long
with just a half-inch eraser,
in case you thought optimism was dead."
-Robert Brault
Photo via lovelylivtyler
I've always liked this Churchill quote about optimism: "I'm an optimist. It seems pointless to be anything else." It's really as simple as that. What's the sense of going into any new situation in life with negative expectations. That wouldn't be living at all but a form of dying.
ReplyDeleteNothingprofound.....Thank you for sharing. I too like the Churchill quote....so true, isn't it? However, that is easy for us to say (as optimists), but unfortunately, there are pessimists who prefer to believe the worst, and would rather find themselves pleasantly surprised when they are proven wrong.
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