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Be Optimistic!
By: Jill MacDonald, MA, LPC
Optimism means “to anticipate the best possible outcome.” It seems simple enough. However, so many of us struggle to be optimistic. When you observe adults discussing their day, their work, their lives, they seem to complain and focus on the negative more than the positive and certainly, you hear more pessimism than optimism. And based on the state of our country and the world, and the pains and disappointments that we all suffer in life, it is somewhat understandable that people do not feel optimistic.
When you are an optimistic person, people tend to think you are naïve. In fact, Webster’s defines naïve as: “lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment.” I do not agree. As a life-long optimist, and hopefully someone who is also emotionally intelligent, I do not believe it is naïve to be optimistic. Nor do I believe that being an optimistic person automatically makes you lack wisdom or judgment. Before you decide what you think, I would ask you to consider the possible consequences of living optimistically or the consequences of living as a pessimist.
As a therapist, I have helped people to grow, learn, and become stronger, healthier, happier individuals. Speaking from a perspective of emotional health, I would suggest that being optimistic is much better for your health and happiness. I know that is a risk. People fear hoping for something to happen and then it doesn’t – and you are left with disappointment. But disappointment can be something that helps us become stronger, deeper people. When you decide to go the route of “protecting” yourself from disappointments and hurt – and you do it long enough – you can become jaded and pessimistic. Either way, we all experience hurt, pain and disappointment.
So how is it really helpful for us to be a pessimist?
My suggestion is to choose to be optimistic. Dare to allow yourself to think the best. Hope for the best. See the best in yourself and others. Dream. Care. Love. Believe. This type of thinking is good for everyone. Of course, you might challenge me and say: I will hurt so much more if I am optimistic and “it” does not happen – (whatever that “it” is). That may be true, but it may not. Hoping and being let down hurts. However, we always have a choice of how we see the things that happen to us. Each experience allows us the chance to learn, grow and become a better person. Even the “bad” things that happen can be life-altering experiences that we look back on and appreciate in some way. But the only way we can do that is to look through the eyes of an optimist.
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