The psychology of optimism is quite simple. After all, people who enjoy life do not embellish reality. They simply choose the best that life has to offer them .
Optimists are equated with titans who, at the cost of incredible efforts, ignore difficulties and put on a routine smile on their face. But is this really so?
How to learn to love, appreciate and respect yourself? Read about it here.
How to become an optimist
The development of this type of personality can begin in childhood, or even in adulthood, if someone thinks about how to become an optimist. The older a person is, the more difficult the task, but it can be done at any age. It’s just that the severity of this symptom may vary. If in youth “rose-colored glasses” are perceived as normal, then healthy skepticism and realism are more associated with baldness or gray hair. But faith in the best is useful at any age. So, you can remain an optimist until you are very old. And if throughout his life he supplements his faith with hard work and diligence, then there may not be any reason to doubt the power of optimism.
Still, it is better to raise an optimist from early childhood. Just explain to the child that in addition to believing in victory, you also need to make an effort. This mechanism for achieving success is described in detail in the famous book of the American writer Napoleon Hill “Think and Grow Rich”. According to the firm belief of the author, unshakable faith in one’s strengths, multiplied by diligence and determination, will certainly bring long-awaited success.
How to be an optimist? It is not enough to believe in success; you also need to take concrete actions to meet your expectations. This is exactly what should be taught to children, who must distinguish between fantasies and a specific plan of action.
The optimist personality type is both a gift and a great responsibility. On the one hand, such people are always positive and charge others with it. On the other hand, without a rational view of the world, they sometimes ignore common sense, while leading other people in the wrong direction. So, when raising or building relationships with them, it is always necessary to distinguish between confidence and arrogance, developing the skill of adequately perceiving the situation.
Love more than you fear
Principle #4: An optimist lives and works out of love, not fear.
There is a universal truth: you can act and live your life from a fear-based belief system or from a love-based belief system. Live in fear and you will experience limitations associated with resentment, arrogance, insecurity and greed. Live in love and you will discover an abundance of courage, confidence, fortitude and generosity.
Inaction, stagnation, and acting as if the world owes you something are rooted in fear. Action, growth, self-compassion and kindness are rooted in love. Fast living and haste is a way of life born out of fear. Live slowly and respect the process out of love.
To love more than you fear means to make room for poetic mistakes in your life. It's taking yourself a little less seriously and laughing a little more. Doing something for the sake of true joy, and not for the sake of probable reward. It’s facing failure and thinking, “So what? I failed and now I'm much closer to success than ever before."
One of Nelson Mandela's quotes:
“What matters in life is not what we lived. How we make a difference in the lives of others will determine the meaning of the lives we lead.”
To make a difference in the lives of others, we must first learn to love fearlessly. We must remind ourselves that we are Beings trying to make sense of this human experience. And all that matters at the end of this journey is not what you achieved. It was about how much you loved yourself, how much you loved the people who walked this path with you, and how freely you gave to them.
All that matters at the end of this journey is how deeply you have touched the souls of those around you through your actions and creations. But, of course, you cannot touch someone with fear, but only with the light of fearless love.
Psychologist's advice
Some advice from psychologists can help people who don’t know how to be optimistic:
Think positive thoughts. In most cases, people themselves program themselves for failure, allowing themselves to think in the following terms: “I will be unlucky again,” “it happened again,” “it will be like that time,” etc. The result of such thoughts is that people drive luck away from themselves, not believing in their luck
It is important not to forget that there are always several ways to achieve goals, so you should not deliberately think about the bad. It is easier to become an optimist if you perceive failures as an accident rather than a pattern. Communicate with positive people
Each person is influenced to a greater or lesser extent by his environment, to which he adapts. Indeed, it’s hard to think about good things if people around you talk about bad luck and complain. Negative emotions are transmitted faster than positive ones, so it is better to avoid communicating with people who spoil your mood. If you hear only bad things every day, then pessimism can develop into depression. Such a person should surround himself with people with a positive outlook on life, then not only his own attitude towards events will gradually change, but progress in personal affairs will also be noticeable, because optimistic people support each other and believe in the strength of their friends. Don't put yourself down. The basic rule of an optimist is that they leave themselves room for error. They understand that something bad can happen to anyone, and they just need to be able to find a way out. A pessimist will believe that only he is to blame for everything that happened. It is important for him to learn to believe in himself, praise and love himself. Then there will be an understanding that there is nothing terrible in his mistakes, he will begin to forgive himself for them. Listen to classical composers. The tendency of some people to evaluate events in dark colors largely depends on the coherence of the brain hemispheres. There are several techniques that help balance these processes. They turn to acupressure specialists and meditate. The easiest way is to listen to classical music. Scientists have long proven the beneficial effects of music on brain function.
One of the keys to positive thinking is to be surrounded by optimists.
Don't avoid making love. Abstinence from intimate life can negatively affect a person’s well-being and behavior. He will not be satisfied, women become insecure. While regular sex promotes the production of the happiness hormone, it strengthens the nervous system. Enjoy life. Often a bad mood is caused by a lack of goals and desires
Therefore, it is important to find a hobby for yourself, something you like that will bring you pleasure and interest you in its process. If your occupation causes negative emotions, you should try to change your job. Watch your diet
Mood is affected by the food a person eats daily. In order to feel good, they monitor the required daily calorie intake and ensure that the food is healthy. Lack of calories or junk food subsequently affects poor health.
There are advantages to being a pessimist, but experience shows that optimists become more successful and happier than others. Instead of sighing over the hardships of fate and looking with envy at positive people, you can reconsider your own attitude. It is possible to become an optimist; for this you need to work with your worldview.
Is optimism an innate or acquired condition?
Not everyone is born an optimist. Plus, family, upbringing, and environment influence worldview.
A person consciously chooses: to live in gloomy anticipation of troubles or to rejoice in all the good things that happen in life.
If nature has not endowed you with a love of life and a positive state of mind, the habit of rejoicing can be formed purposefully. Or at least adjust your attitude towards life to reduce the level of stress and its severe consequences.
Is it possible to learn optimism?
Such qualities as optimism and pessimism are not as rigidly defined as they seem. Optimism can be taught; this kind of work takes several weeks. The technique was developed and demonstrated the possibility of teaching optimism by Dr. Michael Moseley. During treatment for chronic insomnia, Michael Moseley underwent brain testing. It turned out that at rest the right hemisphere is 3 times more active than the left, this is typical for those people who constantly worry about daily events.
To correct the situation, brain training was carried out in the form of a game. On the monitor screen you had to find a joyful face among all the others, move the cursor and “click the mouse.” Additional meditations lasting up to 20 minutes were carried out to concentrate on one’s inner world, relieve tension and relax. A repeated study of the brain after training revealed that the difference in the activity of the hemispheres became less pronounced, and M. Moseley began to look at what was happening more positively.
Only the person himself can determine whether his glass is half full or half empty! Optimism is both a consequence and a cause of good health. Healthy people have a more optimistic outlook on life, and optimistic people are healthier. It depends on the person himself whether he can live his life long and happily, fully, and be healthy. And optimism, a positive attitude, faith in yourself and your strengths play an important role in this.
Warning.
Everything is good in moderation; optimism brought to the level of carelessness will lead to completely opposite results. Take care of yourself!
Many people mistakenly believe that optimists are people whose lives go smoothly and carefree. They are always cheerful and know neither sorrows nor problems. But it is not so. Such people simply have a special attitude towards any unpleasant situation and do not lose heart. What does the word optimist mean? How is he different from a pessimist? How to become an optimist?
Definitions
Optimism translated from the Latin optimus means “best.” This is a positive attitude towards life, reflecting faith and hope for a positive or desired outcome of any events.
Accordingly, an optimist is one who sees the positive sides in everything, looks at life with an open heart and always hopes for the best.
In contrast to this concept, the word “pessimism” is used. From Latin pessimus translates as “worst” and means a negative outlook on life.
A pessimist is a person who finds a reason for dissatisfaction and despondency in everything, always relies on a negative outcome and complains about life.
In simple words, optimism and pessimism are two sides of the same coin, two opposing views on the same conditions and circumstances.
About the advantages
Of course, there is no point in denying that optimism as a way of life has a number of huge advantages, including those directly related to human health and longevity.
- The body's recovery mechanisms are activated.
- Immunity is strengthened.
- Provides greater composure in stressful situations.
- The brain gets the necessary rest: after processing positive emotions, it gives the body the command to go into relaxation mode.
In addition, people who know how to see the bright side of a situation, as a rule, have many friends and acquaintances, while pessimistic individuals often suffer from loneliness.
Recent Western research shows that the predisposition to an optimistic or pessimistic view of the world depends on heredity. So, the question “How to learn optimism?” Is it pointless to ask? No! After all, any predisposition can be developed in the same way as it can be combated.
Consider the behavior of young children. From birth, all of them show signs of optimism: they smile, are eager to communicate, and continuously explore new things, despite the fact that they are constantly faced with failures. However, expert data show that in about a quarter of children these signs are more pronounced than in others. The remaining three-quarters have less chance of becoming optimists.
We recommend: Locus of control in psychology
However, a less pronounced tendency towards optimism (but not completely absent!) can be developed with the help of education. How? First of all, you need to encourage the child’s desire to learn new things and praise him for his achievements. Magic phrases like “You can do it!” or “You did it, you’re so great!” capable of performing miracles.
If a failure occurs, you need to understand its reasons and try to apply this experience in the future. An individual approach is important: if it is clear that a certain task is clearly beyond the child’s ability (or is not of interest), you should not expect super-high results from him. Setting the bar too high will only lead to feelings of deep dissatisfaction with yourself.
But what should adults do? How can they learn to be optimistic? Here you can recall the well-known formulation: “If you want to be happy, be it!” The same goes for optimism: starting from tomorrow, try to perceive the world as if you were already an optimist.
We recommend: What is idealization?
You can start with a simple exercise: before going to bed, remember several pleasant events that happened during the day.
Even the little ones: sunny weather, a polite salesman in the store... Gradually, attention to the good will become a habit, and inexhaustible optimism will become a constant companion.
Benefits of a Positive Outlook
Why is optimism better than pessimism?
US psychologist Bernard Weiner became interested in the fact that some people, experiencing failures, retreat from their goals, while others struggle with obstacles. The scientist revealed a direct dependence of the desire or lack thereof to continue the fight on a person’s vision of the reasons for his successes and failures.
It turned out that the children who participated in the experiments are excellent students at school and see the reason for their achievements as a result of their abilities. Omissions are explained by a lack of perseverance. Another group of children, who did worse in school, blamed their success on easy tasks or simply luck. Unsuccessful moments were attributed to lack of ability.
Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Martin Seligman, studied this problem through the manifestation of depression. His father was paralyzed and the search began for an answer to the question of the changes that had occurred. When the father fell from a cheerful, balanced state into a complete loss of interest in life.
After experimental work, Seligman identified “learned helplessness in animals and humans.” The subjects, being under the influence of unpleasant circumstances for a certain time, begin to realize the futility of resistance and retreat. Further, even if they have a way out of an emergency situation, they do nothing.
After the results of the study, Martin Seligman questioned the optimistic style of thinking. Is there such a possibility?
The answer was positive psychology. Psychology is based on an “explanatory style.” Seligman's definition refers to a person's way of explaining the reasons for what is happening. At a stressful moment, it depends on the style of explanation whether an individual will choose to fight or go with the flow.
The pessimistic description of negative facts is explained by personal, universal data (“This can only happen to me, it always happens and there is no way to change it”). Positive facts are explained by chance, external temporary reasons.
The optimistic style explains negative facts by external, random reasons (“It will pass soon, it just happened”), and positive ones by properties inherent in the individual, ability.
Optimism is not a life without negative emotions, but a qualitatively different idea of life. An optimist believes that he can change his reality and everything depends on him. He does not try to keep everything under control, he actively moves towards achieving his goals. Obstacles along the way are characterized as the influence of external factors.
Research by scientists has led to interesting facts: optimists have stronger immunity, recover faster after operations, live longer and are less likely to suffer from mental illness. They communicate with friends more often and move up the career ladder at work faster. They have higher satisfaction with their personal lives and are more likely to generate creative ideas.
Who is an optimist
An optimist... - it is generally accepted that this is a person who never loses heart. He is happy about everything, nothing can spoil his mood, and he doesn’t even care about the rain, just at the time when he forgot his umbrella. But actually it is not.
First of all, an optimist is a person who firmly believes that everything is for the better. Being an optimist does not mean being always cheerful; being an optimist means believing in the future.
An optimist looks at everything with hope, tries to find positive aspects, to turn the situation around for himself so as to see something good in it. It is this attitude towards life that protects him from unnecessary stress, anxiety and depression. An optimist, unlike a pessimist, does not create tragedies. He breathes smoothly and solves problems.
Optimists, as opposed to pessimists, look at any situation in perspective. Not from the point of view of “what have I lost because of this”, but from the point of view of “what can I gain”. No, this is not a naive view of the world, it’s just that optimists have a firm understanding that everything passes.
Optimists notice the little things. And if someone feels like there is nothing to be happy about because the overall picture is depressing, an optimistic person will find something to cling to to turn the bad into good.
An optimist is not afraid of obstacles. Not because he is fearless, he is okay with fear, but he regards the obstacle as another test, before which he will in no way give up, but will emerge victorious.
Optimists attract people and are valued as friends. Everyone enjoys having someone who will cheer you up and find the positives even in the most hopeless situation.
Such people send positive energy into the world, they do not become discouraged, and even if they do, it does not last for long, so they attract people to themselves.
Optimists are not afraid to take risks. They will not jump headlong into the pool without thinking everything through, but if they feel that luck may await them, they will not miss the chance.
An optimist always rises. He (she), like most people, can sometimes doubt his success, but this state does not last long for an optimistic person; he quickly forces himself to comb his hair, smile and move forward again. Not out of inertia, but with faith that this path will lead somewhere.
An optimist does not allow himself to show others that he is upset. And this is not isolation, he just believes that it is dishonest to take out his negative feelings on others. Therefore, he tries to cope with them, if they appear, alone. As a rule, he succeeds quickly.
An optimist is not a flighty person who sees only the good in everything.
Being an optimist is a lot of work; it manifests itself primarily in faith in life. After all, he, like any other person, is upset by failures
It’s just that every time he finds the strength not to focus his attention and thoughts on them
An optimist has his own special psychology, a solid philosophy, the main dogma of which is that everything in this world happens for good. And even if this benefit is hard to see now, it still exists, which means you shouldn’t despair.
It is much easier for an optimist to control the situation; he does not panic or fuss. His position in life allows him not to succumb to emotions and calmly manage circumstances as much as possible.
An optimist does not rely on luck; he creates his own success.
An optimist knows how to “turn over a leaf.” He tries not to drag failure into a new day and regards every morning as another chance to change something.
An optimist, first of all, draws energy from the moment, from every moment. For him, reality is exactly what is here and now. He knows that the past is already in the past, and the future is just coming. Therefore, he tries to perceive every second more fully, to merge with it, so that, drawing opportunities and strength from the present, he can create his future.
Advantages and disadvantages of pessimists
Since pessimism is traditionally associated with negative qualities, let's start with the negatives:
- predominance of negative emotions;
- quarrelsomeness, conflict;
- frequent complaints and dissatisfaction, tediousness;
- shifting blame and responsibility to others;
- lack of determination;
- high susceptibility to stress;
- hypochondria.
As a result, such people usually have very few friends. Due to the fact that a pessimist is most often negative and talks about problems and shortcomings, it is very difficult to discern an interesting interlocutor in him.
More than 100 cool lessons, tests and exercises for brain development
Start developing
At the same time, this type of attitude also has positive aspects:
- A pessimist is always ready for undesirable scenarios, and therefore often calculates his every step, weighing the pros and cons. He does not rush headlong into the pool and looks at life more pragmatically than an inveterate optimist.
- A person who is determined to fail will not panic or be upset if his predictions come true. Less hope means less disappointment.
- He is less likely to find himself in dangerous and unpleasant situations, because he does not trust strangers and shows increased vigilance and caution. A pessimist will not go on a trip without a first aid kit, will not leave home without an umbrella when clouds are gathering in the sky, and will not go to play in a casino, predicting his loss in advance.
- At the slightest discomfort, such a person will most likely immediately go to the doctor, which will help recognize the disease at an early stage and prevent the development of the disease.
Interesting fact. The teachings of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer were often called the philosophy of universal pessimism. He believed that life was given not for happiness, but for suffering. It is he who owns the phrase “This world is the worst possible.” Another thinker, Eduard von Hartmann, was also a supporter of his pessimistic philosophy.
What's good about optimism?
It is pleasant to communicate with cheerful, life-loving people; they charge us with energy and push us to new achievements. Optimists are more energetic, proactive, less likely to succumb to depression, and associate the success achieved with their qualities and personal efforts. Optimism helps in innovation. With an optimist it is easy to try new things and take risks. Most likely, it is an optimist who will offer you to play gambling, for example, on the site https://slotsbookofra2.com/. For an optimist, such gambling is a real pleasure, because even in a loss he will find the good side and learn a lesson.
Self-confidence or rose-colored glasses
These days, so-called positive thinking is actively promoted. We are told to smile no matter what happens, to look for something good in any situation, even when things are at their worst, and not to talk about our problems so that others think that everything is fine with us...
In certain situations this works. Positive thinking helps us gain strength and believe in ourselves. For example, if he doesn’t get into university, an optimist will say to himself: “Well, no luck this time - better luck next time!” He will work hard even if things don't work out because he is convinced that success is achievable.
Optimists behave in the same way in their personal lives. They won't be too upset about not being reciprocated and will simply look for another relationship. Or they will try to win the person they are in love with. And such a strategy often brings results. Finally, positive people have the ability to attract us to themselves, and this is a very valuable quality.
At the same time, optimists tend to look at the world through “rose-colored glasses” and this causes big problems. It is precisely such people who often fall for scammers - it simply does not occur to them that someone could commit a bad act. They are carefree and usually do not save for old age or a rainy day.
In addition, they tend to take out loans that they then cannot pay off, invest money in financial pyramids and various dubious projects
Caution is not at all characteristic of them
Optimists rarely think about possible difficulties. They can brush off the problem until it becomes a real problem, and they let everything take its course.
Optimists do not like to go to the doctor, because they are sure that they cannot get sick with anything serious. And therefore, their diseases are often discovered in an already advanced state.
Definition of optimism and its distinctive features
Optimism is a person’s tendency to hope for a favorable outcome of events and believe in a bright future. Optimists always expect positive results and are confident that they will achieve their desired goals. It doesn’t matter to them whether it happens by a happy coincidence or thanks to the invested effort and perseverance.
Professor of cognitive neuroscience from London Tali Sharot in her book The optimism bias: a tour of the irrationally positive brain writes that optimism literally ensures survival, therefore it is an integral part of each of us:
“Optimism begins with one of the most unusual human talents - mental time travel. It is the ability to mentally move back and forth in time and space... Although most of us take this ability for granted, it is critical to our survival.
It allows us to plan ahead, conserve food and resources in times of scarcity, and endure hard work in anticipation of future rewards... To make progress, we need to be able to imagine an alternative reality, but not just any old reality, but a better one; and we need to believe that we can achieve it. Such faith motivates us to achieve our goals” [Tali Sharot, 2011].
It is important not to confuse optimism with the toxic positivity that is promoted by modern self-help gurus. Toxic positivity is fake and teaches you to pretend that everything is fine, even if reality says otherwise. Your business is on the verge of collapse, and you play positive and say that you are thriving. You find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, but you smile with all your might, claiming that you are completely fine. Such positivity is illusory, destructive and more like an escape from reality.
In contrast, optimism is about overcoming, not suppressing or ignoring. Optimism is about honestly acknowledging your current challenges and giving yourself permission to hope for the best, even if you currently feel very anxious, worried, or afraid about the future. An optimistic person does not ignore negative feelings about impending difficulties; he believes in his ability to cope with them.
An optimist thinks like this:
- Yes, it is difficult for me to come to terms with failure in business, but I know that it taught me a lot.
- Yes, I failed the audition for the film, but I received valuable feedback from the director. I will work hard on my acting skills and next year my chances of getting a role will increase significantly.
- Honestly, my current living situation sucks! It's horrible! But I will find a way and I’m sure I can handle it.
A striking example of true optimism is Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist, philosopher, one of the founders of existential psychology. In 1942, he and his family were arrested by the Nazis and later sent to a concentration camp. Over the course of three years, Frankl visited four camps, becoming a direct witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust. Having gone through inhuman suffering, Frankl still managed to maintain the meaning of life.
The thought of reuniting with his family and the desire to complete the manuscript of his book The Doctor and the Soul were the two pillars on which his optimism rested. It was this hope for a better future that allowed him to survive. In other words, Frankl believed in the alternative reality that neuroscientist Tali Sharot wrote about. Overcoming monstrous circumstances day after day, he imagined that he would meet his wife, and his books would help people find meaning and accept life even in the face of great adversity.
Is it possible to train optimism?
“In my experience, optimism is both a personality trait and a product of our environment,” says psychotherapist Carole Ward. Her opinion is supported by research that says optimism is about 25% heritable. There are other factors beyond our control, such as the socioeconomic conditions of childhood or upbringing. But there is still a little space left in our brain into which we can put optimism with our own hands.
Many experts agree with this statement. “Previous research has shown that optimism can be changed with relatively simple and inexpensive interventions—even something as simple as journaling about the best possible outcomes for different areas of your life, such as your career or friendships,” said Caitlin Hagan, postdoctoral researcher. Harvard University.
“Optimism can definitely be a learned trait,” agreed professor Aparna Iyer, who says she works with many clients to cultivate a more optimistic outlook. “Just because you've been a pessimist most of your life doesn't mean you're destined to always be one. In fact, there are many effective ways to adopt an optimistic mindset.”
Next we will talk about several such methods.
Focus on yourself
Principle #3: An optimist does not obsess over what he cannot control. An optimist focuses only on what he can influence - himself.
- You don't control people's opinions of you.
- You have no control over the weather and natural disasters.
- You don't control the global economy.
- You have no control over what other people decide to do.
However, you can control how you respond to all of the above. How do you react when someone is playing a status game with you? How do you distance yourself from people who don't share the same values as you.
In other words, what you control is you. Your opinions, aspirations, habits and actions you take. Your mind and the way you think. What you can control and change is who you are as a whole. Trying to control or change anything outside of this realm only leads to more anxiety, anguish and frustration - you will cause a storm and drown in it.
Optimism is based on the fundamental belief that whenever we are faced with a situation that causes suffering, we have two options at our disposal. We can change the current situation, or change our attitude towards it, by first changing the way we interpret it. And the only way to do this is to learn to focus only on what you can control.
As the Roman and Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote in A Guide to Life:
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: some things are under our control, and some are not. The main task in life is simply this: to identify and separate things so that I can clearly tell myself which external ones are not under my control, and which have to do with the choices that I actually control. Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. This is achieved by ignoring things that are beyond our control."
This last line is crucial: master yourself and you will become the master of your life.
RULE 1. Dreaming is not harmful
Even so, dreaming is useful! After all, dreams tend to come true. They inspire us and give us strength. But do not confuse dreams with illusions! A dream that will certainly come true is a passionate desire to achieve what you want, and not just philosophizing on the topic “wouldn’t it be nice if…”. Desiring something with all our being, we begin to look for ways to achieve the goal, noticing and using the opportunities that life provides us for this. You can lament for a long time about what you don’t like in your life, but this rarely leads to changes for the better. It's much better to focus on what you want and try to make it come true. An optimist believes that his future will be happy, and dreams help him bring this happy tomorrow closer. Remember that optimists have dreams come true, while pessimists have nightmares.
Definition and psychology
What is optimism?
Optimism is a view of reality, life and events, suggesting confidence in a better future and a positive outcome of difficult situations.
Optimists see the world as a certain form of perfection and goodness, on the basis of which they can realize all their dreams and desires.
Optimism can be blind and realistic. In the first case, faith in the positive nature of people and the world stems from an unwillingness to see the opposite.
In the second case, a person is simply ready to deal with difficulties and take advantage of the opportunities that the current moment gives him.
What's wrong with such a state as pessimism?
Communication with such people is very annoying, their eternal complaints and constant doubts are disgusting. Pessimists will almost always give up in a difficult life situation, and the achievements that occur can be attributed to a lucky coincidence of circumstances. A bad mood contributes to the development of bad habits.
Two different views: some are always dissatisfied with something, others always see a way out of the situation. The point here is not even what a person has in the present, but how he evaluates it for himself, his subjective opinion. Who we are: pessimists or optimists is the result of hereditary predisposition, upbringing, experience, internal attitudes. But personally, it seems to me that being an optimist is still better. Hormones of joy - endorphins, are produced when you feel happy, which is very beneficial for health. In difficult situations, pessimistic people are more likely to give up and fall into deep depression.
Is there a golden mean
Both optimism and pessimism represent a distorted perception of reality. Both types of people see the world differently from what it really is. The difference is that a pessimist sees only the bad, not noticing the good. An optimist, on the contrary, focuses on one positive, without distinguishing between risks.
Neither of them sees the full picture, creating a one-sided view in their heads. This is the same as always using only your left hand, considering the right hand unsuitable for your personal worldview or desires.
But in addition to the two extremes, there is also a so-called golden mean. This is the third type of worldview, which is endowed with the most optimal outlook on life. It's called realism.
A realist sees the situation as a whole: both the good and the bad, without ignoring or masking anything. He knows that the world is multifaceted and can present both pleasant surprises and obstacles. Such a person does not console himself with the phrase “Tomorrow will definitely be better,” but he also does not spoil his mood with thoughts about possible troubles that may not happen.
He objectively evaluates circumstances, people, himself and his capabilities, makes decisions based on the real state of affairs and prefers his own type of reaction to events.
Who is an optimist and how does he behave?
Optimists develop a characteristic behavior in life. It distinguishes them from other people and is the basis of their lives. We will tell you about these qualities.
Distinctive Traits of Optimists
- according to their psychotype, they are, as a rule, sanguine - people with an active life position, sober-minded, positive always and in everything;
- they are always mentally balanced and able to think analytically;
- optimists are always tuned to a positive outcome of events;
- If any problem occurs, even one of the most difficult in life, an optimist does not give up. At the same time, he does not put on rose-colored glasses and will not demonstrate his attitude where it is not appropriate. For example, an optimist will not convince everyone at a funeral that life goes on, it is beautiful, and so on. He is capable of regret, sadness and crying like most ordinary people.
The virtues of optimists
Is it good to be an optimist, you ask? But there is no exact answer to this question. If you read the qualities that we talked about above, you can conclude that being an optimist is a good character trait. He does not look at the world through rose-colored glasses, but tries not to lose his positive attitude even in the most difficult life situations. He may doubt, but he never whines. This undoubtedly helps in life not to give up and make the right choice.
And also - scientists have proven that those people who are always positive are less likely to get sick. After all, pessimism certainly leads to fear, bad mood and stress. And as a result of stress, a variety of health problems arise, including diseases of the cardiovascular system. An optimist has a higher level of happiness hormones in his blood, which will prevent him from getting sick.
Since we have figured out that optimism in a person is good, let’s talk about how to become an optimist. After all, this quality is not inherent in nature; it needs to be developed. And it is possible.
Why does optimism matter?
Optimism is important because it motivates. This motivational factor affects us physically.
Optimistic people have a positive attitude towards the events of everyday life. Studies conducted from this perspective have found positive correlations between optimism and physical/mental well-being.
How does optimism affect health?
It is believed that optimists live longer. Optimistic people have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. They are less likely to have strokes or die from a heart attack. People who are optimistic tend to lead healthier lifestyles. For example, eating fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, etc. Optimistic people have defensive attitudes, are resistant to stress, and tend to use more appropriate coping strategies.
Optimism is also associated with happy romantic relationships and a reduced likelihood of cognitive impairment. An optimistic person tends to work harder, expect to retire later, and save more money.
