Do you think the glass is half full or half empty? While people tend to think that being optimistic is the best option, some degree of pessimism is not so bad. If people always expect the world to go their way, they may not be prepared to deal with disappointment. Being prepared for something not to work out allows people to plan ahead. On the other hand, always expecting the best tends to make people more resilient when things do not go their way.
Surprisingly, even when faced with problems, most people are optimistic about the future. In this Time magazine article, author Tali Sharot calls this tendency for optimism the ‘optimism bias.’ One might expect children to be the ones who are optimists. However, research shows that adults, even older adults, are more likely to be optimistic than pessimistic. In addition, this bias is not limited to any one culture; all cultures share it.
What does that mean for you? Being an optimist will help you find those ‘silver linings.’ Your brain will help you find the positive aspects of negative situations that all people face at some point in their lives. So it is worth the effort for you to consciously change the way you think about your daily activities. Thinking positive, which your brain is apparently wired to do, will provide the motivation to face those difficulties in life. But remember that it is okay for some pessimism to slip in; it will help you handle the bumps in the road.
Roger Cox
