Optimism: Perception of Life is a Matter of Perspective

Our perception of life is a matter of perspective. From a young age we are taught to see the glass as half-empty or half-full. This perception is a simple example of optimistic or pessimistic behavior. Optimism is typically viewed as an individual’s ability to see the brighter sides of things and considered a positive quality. Although it's views predict happy endings, I believe high optimism levels aren't always a good thing. Optimists pay less attention to detail and reject new information to challenge their practical views. This noun defined stated is “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.”

Synonyms for Optimism are, anticipation, certainty, and confidence. Antonyms for Optimism are, doubt, distrust, and sorrow. Participants in a study who were told they would be given surgery that had a 70% success rate, reacted positively to the prospects of going through it. Contrary, those who were told the procedure had a failure rate of 30%, gave negative reactions. Optimistics focus more on the problem itself rather than managing emotions, such as fear or sadness, resulting from the problem. Tending to use fewer disengagement coping methods that simply ignore the problem, such as getting made at the facts. Looking forward to something that could possibly never happen. Optimists end up bottling their emotions hoping for something to change on it's own.

In spite of the fact that optimism is bad, it doesn't mean optimism itself does not have a 'brighter side”. When facing a setback, optimists often use more effective methods to deal with them. An optimistic attitude helps us be happier, more successful, and healthier. Optimism can protect against depression, even for people who are at risk for it. Optimism itself can even affect the legitimacy of research on positivity. People rely on possible outcomes to create happiness. 

In a 2002 study, psychologists Nathan Radcliffe and William Klein found that optimistic people knew more about how and why heart attacks occur, and how six key risk factors like consuming alcohol, smoking, and stress cause heart attacks. The best thing about optimism is you can learn it, even if your outlook tends to be more pessimistic. Remind yourself that setbacks are temporary. Granting, don't rely on optimism because hopes are not always reality. This quote said by Oscar Wilde depicts the way optimists may describe their mindsets “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”. Optimism can bring light to your world, don't rely on it because it can tear your future visions down.