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The Power of Positivity and Realistic Optimism

Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)
Psych Pstuff
Published in
10 min readJan 15, 2025

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“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” — Christian D. Larson

Photo by Anastasiia Nelen on Unsplash

Positivity, broadly conceptualized as a mental orientation characterized by hopefulness and a constructive outlook on life circumstances, has risen to prominence in contemporary psychological discourse as both a protective factor in adversity and a catalyst for personal and relational well-being (Seligman, 2011). Nonetheless, an unqualified form of optimism — one that dismisses or trivializes genuine challenges — can devolve into what is sometimes labeled “toxic positivity,” circumventing constructive engagement with difficulties and hampering emotional authenticity (Held, 2002). Realistic optimism, by contrast, offers a more balanced perspective: it involves recognizing obstacles and potential setbacks while maintaining a belief in the capacity for adaptation and eventual success, thereby merging the energy of positive thinking with a grounded assessment of reality (Carver, Scheier, & Segerstrom, 2010). Rooted in foundational research in positive psychology, this perspective underscores that genuine resilience and enduring happiness flourish not from denying hardship, but from facing it squarely and employing an underlying, steadfast sense of hope to navigate through uncertainty (Snyder et al., 2021).

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Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)
Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)

Written by Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)

Writer and university professor researching the human condition, generational studies, human and animal rights, and the intersection of art and psychology

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