Pessimism vs.

Optimism

We all know that a pessimist is a "negative thinker" of things, one who always looks
upon the worst side of the situation. A pessimist also has lost hope in change and the
future. They also take the opposing view in every positive conversation. Yeah, I know
that my friends are mostly pessimistic about their life in Science High. Even yours truly,
I admit that I could be pessimistic at times especially when I am there in school
because of the almost never-ending pressures we've all been experiencing there, there
are also times that you should be optimistic in order to survive the world and the
competition we call Life.

"The Pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees

opportunity in every difficulty. -Winston Churchill

Is your glass half-empty or half-full?

Sometimes, when nothing in your life seems to be going right, it can be tough to see
the light at the end of the tunnel. But, those are also the times when the ability to see
the good (at the least) in worst cases is most vital. Being optimistic benefits not only
your mental health, but the physical well-being as well.

Optimism- The fuel of heroes, the enemy of despair, the creator of the future

Optimism creates a somewhat like a center of our emotional expansion of life. If we

wish to live effectively in our everyday activities, we must root out the self-
defeating feeling of negativity(pessimism)  replacing it with some feeling of

rational form of optimis m. Becoming an

optimist requires more than putting a simple smile telling ourselves "everything will
work out for the better". We must live to our full capacity as an individual in order for
total optimism to work for the best.

I say, we can both be optimists and realists simultaneously. Naturally, to be realistic

means to be pessimistic. To be optimistic in this world, you can say "Be happy at all
times." and "expect a better life", it is either right or wrong but it is a belief every
individual has the right to think that way.
The story below is an excerpt I found while surfing on some articles in the internet.
Hope you have fun reading this one because I did.

The Story of the Pessimist and the Optimist (an excerpt)

There once was a major research project held at a world renowned university center.
The project was to develop operational definitions of a pessimist and of an optimist.

The researchers ran a national contest to identify the most optimistic and pessimistic
persons in the country. A little girl won in the pessimist category and a little boy won in
the optimist one. The researchers brought these two children to the research center for
the final observational portion of the study.

The pessimistic little girl was brought to the research laboratory where, in a large room
behind a one-way mirror, she was shown a room full of new toys. She was told that
each of the toys she played with over the next thirty minutes were hers. All she needed
to do was play with them.

She looked at the research team skeptically as she entered the toy-filled room. What
happened that next half hour shocked and stunned the researchers. The girl
systematically opened every single box in the room and rejected each of the toys in
turn. The researchers heard her say things like: "These aren't new toys.'' "These toys
will never work.'' "There are no Harry Potter Toys in here!""There are no batteries in
here to operate these toys.'' "They'll never let me keep these toys.'' "I don't like these
cutsey sweetsy dolls.'' "The stuffing is coming out of these animals,'' etc. When the
thirty minutes ended the girl left the room toyless. Watching this cheerless, lifeless,
sour, bitter child leave the room carrying no toys, the researchers had enough data for
the operational definition of a pessimist.

The researchers were worried after the dramatic display of the pessimist thinking,
``How will we ever be able to top this.'' They worked quickly on a strategy and finally
they brought the optimistic boy to the research lab. In the same room behind a one-
way mirror he was shown a roomful of horse manure. He was told only that he would
have thirty minutes in the room.

To the amazement of the research team, the boy entered the room and dove into the
manure. He threw it all over the place. He was animated, excited, alive, and happy. He
kept digging and digging shouting with glee. He was ecstatic. The research team
members behind the one-way mirror were eyeing one another with all knowing looks
which meant, "Of course we know what an optimist is - an optimist is psychotic.''

After thirty minutes the little boy, who by this time was covered with manure from head
to toe, was brought to the head of the research team. The director of the study asked,
"Little boy, what was going on in there?'' The boy with hopeful, excited eyes looked up
and said, "Madame, with all that horse manure, there just had to be a pony in there
somewhere, and I was sure I would find it!''

Here are some questions concerning the story.

A. With whom do I identify, the girl or the boy?

B. How is my behavior like the girl's? The boy's?
C. What would I have done differently if I had been in the girl's shoes?
D. What would I have done differently if I had been in the boy's shoes? E. How do I lose
out on the free toys of life when they are offered to me?
F. How hard do I look for the pony in my life?
G. How reasonable were the girl's comments about the toys?
H. How do I feel about the set-up by the researchers? In what ways was the girl set-up
to fail? In what ways was the boy set up to fail? Who was the winner?
I. How willingly do I accept the good things of life? What do I do when I receive the
toys of life such as compliments, reinforcement, recognition, rewards, success, positive
strokes, and gifts of love and kindness?
J. How often do I get mired or stuck in the horse manure of life? How often do I seek
out the pony? What keeps me from looking for the pony? How afraid am I to be called
psychotic or out of touch because I look for the pony?
K. What does this analysis tell me about myself? What part does pessimism and
negativity play in my behavioral pattern?
L. I will analyze the components of this story as they relate to my life to help me see
how negative or pessimistic I am.

Here are some strategies to overcome negativity

1. Get support from other individuals to remind you when you're being pessimistic or
negative.
2. Look for the "pony" in everything that happens to me.
3. Accept yourself as a human being who might slip back into old, tried and true
behavior.
4. Select only positive people with whom to associate. (if possible)
5. Watch only TV shows and movies that are "upbeat".
6. Read only books and novels that reflect the upbeat, positive aspects of life and
reality.
7. Join a church and become active in a ministry to those less fortunate.
8. Set aside a part of your net income for charitable donations to people who have
permanent, lifelong disabilities and pains.
9. Volunteer to be a big brother or big sister to a lonely child or visit someone in a
nursing home.
10. Volunteer four hours a month in a nonprofit agency that helps people less f

ortunate than myself.

With these strategies; you've helped not only yourself overcome your pessimism but
you've also helped the others who are deeply in need of help. Talk about hitting two
birds in one stone.

Hope you find this post interesting, give me a comment sometime.

Final Question: Pessimism, optimism. Which side are you on?

POSTED BY LEO AT 8:55 PM 

1 COMMENTS:

Anonymous said...

very good as thoughtful, rational, and informative.

JULY 23, 2009 7:28 AM

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