Are you a pessimist or an optimist? How you see your circumstances depends entirely on your point of view.
"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars."- Frederick Langbridge
How do you respond when life doesn’t go your way? If you come second, do you jump for joy and aim for first next time, or are you so discouraged that you find an excuse not to take part again?
You can view events pessimistically and live a self-defeated life or you can choose to be optimistic, expect the best and benefit from a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Studies indicate that a positive attitude and optimistic outlook brings better health and greater happiness. A positive outlook has many benefits.
Optimism is linked to
- Good morale
- Positive mood
- Greater success
- Increased happiness
- Popularity
- Good health
- Long life
- Freedom from stress
It pays to be an optimist
Optimists expect the best while pessimists tend to believe the worst. This, as you might expect, undermines all that they do. Optimists faced with the same circumstances tend to see them as temporary setbacks and quickly move on. They tend to reinterpret negative experiences in a way that will help them to learn and grow. Rather than let obstacles get them down, they respond to them as a challenge and try even harder.
Unlike pessimists, they don’t say, “things never work out for me,” “If I failed last time, there’s not much point trying again”.
Optimists view obstacles as opportunities rather than obstacles and they believe that things will get better.
People respond positively to optimists
Optimists have a tendency to draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world tends to be contagious and helps to lift people up. People prefer to be around optimists. Who really wants to be around someone who spread gloom, makes them feel bad and spoils their day?
Optimists are healthier and live longer
Medical research shows that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can significantly increase the body's ability to fight disease. Optimistic people are usually more healthy, age well and outlive people prone to negative thoughts.
A positive attitude and optimistic attitude is a good predictor of well being in later life.
Even if you have been pessimistic and a negative thinker for a long time it’s not too late to change the way you think and reap the benefits of an optimistic attitude. If you change your point of view and practice optimistic, positive thinking you’ll begin to feel better and life will go better. Try it and see for yourself.
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