Monday, April 18, 2011

That glimmer of hope.

Day 20: Are you an optimist, a realist, or a pessimist? Which would you rather be?

I'm a natural pessimist.  There's something in me that naturally responds with negativity unless I consciously decide to do otherwise.  I don't like that and am trying to change that part of me.  I've been a pessimist since I was probably seven or eight years old.  I've dealt with anxiety and depression since I was a very young age.  There's something in me that struggles with seeing the light side of things.

Over the last few years, I think I've managed to mostly change to a realist rather than a pessimist.  Instead of naturally thinking something bad is going to happen -unless I'm going through a particularly rough patch in my life- I try to see things with logic.  "Yes, something bad might happen, but something good might happen too."

Instead of seeing a glass half empty or half full, I usually see it with 50% water.

Eventually, I'd like to become an optimist.  Not a blind optimist, where I convince my hopes to soar only to have them crushed again and again.  I want to stay logical and realistic.  But I'd rather expect good things to happen than bad things.  I'd rather see the good in people instead of expecting their worst traits to come out.

Ultimately, I want to see things the way they are, but still keep a glimmer of hope in my heart.

Today's questions are...
1.) Are you an optimist, a realist, or a pessimist?
2.) Which would you rather be?

3 comments:

  1. It depends on whose glass it is.

    I know it sounds weird, but that's the best way I can describe it. If we're talking about a situation someone else is in, then I see the glass as half-full, but I'm more of a pessimist when it comes to me.

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  2. 1) I'm mostly an optimist :) I do have a few moments though where I break down and am like, "I'm going to have a HORRIBLE LIFE!" but for the most part I'm very optimistic :)

    2) And I'm happy with my optimism because it makes me happy :D

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  3. I agree with Lissa. I'm very hard on myself, but quite lenient with others and there situations. I tend to be more optimistic in most situations, but can easily be very...umm...OBJECTIVE if need be:)

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