Optimism…
Finding ways, and reasons, to have more positivity in our vision.
Pessimism is defined as the tendency to see the worst aspects of things or to believe that the worst will happen. It brings about a general lack of hope or confidence in the future.
Sounds bleak, right?
Conversely, the benefits of being optimistic appear a hell of a lot more appealing: optimism allows us to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, cultivate feel-good relationships with others, and improve our ability to cope with situations that we perceive as difficult.
Optimism is closely linked to resilience, and has even been shown to create it for particularly traumatized individuals.
And though linked, optimism isn’t the same as happiness.
“Positive thinking doesn’t mean that you ignore life’s stressors. You just approach hardship in a more productive way…”
This pragmatic insight helps in my endeavor to incorporate this practice into my life; I do my best to be fiercely optimistic every day (especially in the areas where, historically, I haven’t been).
