Optimism is Your Sword and Your Problems are the Dragon
A heroic knight needs their sword to fight off the might dragon, just as you can use optimism to combat the ever-evolving problems of life.
Whether it be daily, everyday situations or longer conflicts, internal or external, optimism can be your mighty blade versus all of it, absolute and apparent in every victory, while being strengthened by every defeat.
Optimism is a mind set, a way of life. It is the ability to look at the world around you in a positive light and assume the best. It means thats even when you’re down and out, you are confident in the belief that success and good times are on the way.
Now, optimism and optimists are often pitted against realism and realists, but they’re not polar opposites. Optimism is not a blind-fold that prevents you from seeing the world as it really is. It is, instead, a way to look at the world, hoping and working towards the best situations and outcomes possible, while seeing the world for what it truly is at the same time.
Not all optimists are wearing rose-tinted glasses, refusing to see the world in a negative light. In fact, many optimists are realists. I am one of those realistic optimists. I see the world as it is. I see the world as a deeply flawed place, but that does not mean that I can’t stop striving for good situations and outcomes in the future days to come. Issues and dilemmas will always exist in the world, and striving for and being positive about the betterment of said world is optimism.
Optimism is not only a highly advantageous mental attitude that can help you in terms of the mind and soul, but also in health and body.
A 2008 Harvard study found that, out of a subject pool of 1,306 men with an average age of 61, the most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease than the most optimistic men over the next 10 years, and that was after taking other risk factors into account.
Now, each volunteer was evaluated for an optimistic or pessimistic life style or mindset, as well as being evaluated for blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, cigarette and alcohol use, and family history of heart disease.
A quote from the study:
“Indeed, a cheerful disposition can help you get through the tough patches that cloud every life, but do people who see the glass half-full also enjoy better health than gloomy types who see it half-empty?”
“According to a series of studies from the U.S. and Europe, the answer is yes. Optimism helps people cope with disease and recover from surgery. Even more impressive is the impact of a positive outlook on overall health and longevity. Research tells us that an optimistic outlook early in life can predict better health and a lower rate of death during follow-up periods of 15 to 40 years.”
Optimism can and should be your sword versus the problems of life, or the dragon in this instance. It is a mindset that not only positively affects your mind, but your body and the world around you as well.
There’s not much more that I could say about optimism, except that I encourage you to try being more optimistic about your current and future situations. Take it day by day. When I choose to be more optimistic, I found that I was healthier mentally and physically. I had less anxiety, which is something the current generation struggles heavily with.
I was in a better mood, my relationships and friendships flourished. Through my positive outlook on life, when any situation came tumbling down the hill of life, I dealt with it in the best way possible and that was thanks to my positive attitude and outlook.
I saw the pros in every con. I saw the light in every shadow. I saw the positivity in the most negative of situations. Being an optimist has improved my life, and now I know and believe that no matter what comes my way tomorrow or in the next week, that I can handle it.
Bibliography:
Harvard Health Publishing. “Optimism and Your Health — Harvard Health.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health, 2020, www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/optimism-and-your-health. Accessed 23 June 2020.
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