The Power of Optimism through a bit of Whateverism — thisibelieve.org

I believe in the power of optimism. I also believe that an essential factor enabling me to stay optimistic in tough situations is that I sometimes try to care less. I am able to shut down negative thoughts and simply accept certain circumstances as given. This is obviously not always the best way to handle problematic scenarios, as some (e.g. job/relationship discontent) require active countermeasures to achieve happiness, but following, I will illustrate how my passive approach has helped me through a difficult time in the past.

As I was reflecting on my fairly short life, I came to realize I have been blessed in countless ways and genuinely had a hard time thinking of a difficult time which has challenged or formed my core beliefs. Maybe this in itself is already proof of my generally positive view on life? Nevertheless, I did face a personal setback when I was badly injured during a mud-obstacle race in the fall of 2014. Recklessly sliding down a slippery mound, I broke my leg and tore the syndesmosis ligament in my left ankle. This left me unable to walk without assistance for six weeks and kept me from pursuing the sports I love for almost six months.

Looking back at this time full of challenges and struggles, I cannot recall ever feeling completely miserable. I attribute this on one hand to a form of naiveté, not knowing at first how long I would be so constrained in my mobility and not be able to exercise fully, but mainly to the belief that it is not worth it to waste valuable energy thinking about things we simply cannot influence or control. On top of that, NOBODY enjoys spending time with a miserable person who emotionally pulls down everyone around them. Although I cannot say I had a hugely positive outlook on the weeks following the injury, I also did not forcefully try to see “the good in the unfortunate”. I merely embraced these unfavorable but unchangeable circumstances by limiting the amount of thought I poured into them and did my best to continue to live my life as normally as possible. For example, my 23rd birthday is one of my sweetest memories of recent years: I enjoyed a splendid evening visiting a restaurant and a bar with some of my closest friends as they pushed me around in a wheelchair.

I believe my form of whateverism enables me to stay positive in adverse situations by controlling negative thoughts. When faced with a seemingly unsurmountable problem, I try to take a step back, take a deep breath and ask myself if it will matter in a few hours, days or weeks. More often than not, this little exercise leaves me wondering why I was even stressed out in the first place.