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 Have you ever wondered why some people feel down and defeated when faced with difficult situations, while others feel challenged and hopeful? Or why some people get all worked up and angry over small inconveniences and disagreements, while others respond more positively? These opposite emotions and reactions are due to how people interpret events - whether they view things from an optimistic or a pessimistic point of view. |
The defining characteristic of people with pessimistic feelings is that they tend to believe hardships will happen to them and last a long time, undermining everything that they do, and also, they are at fault. People with optimistic feelings, on the other hand, confronted with the same situations, believe that defeat is a temporary setback; its causes are confined to that one situation, and they are not at fault. The difference between optimistic and pessimistic feelings isn't a difference in life experiences, but rather in how people perceive and respond to adversity. A person with optimism who is going through hardships assumes life will get better, while a pessimist believes life will always be difficult and painful. Achieving a balance of realism and hope can be a challenge. People with optimistic feelings will try harder to change a difficult situation. These different approaches to life affect our health. Optimists generally have better health, age well, and live more free of many physical problems associated with aging. |