The Oxford Dictionary defines optimism as “hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something.” This is a great definition for a too-often shooed-aside worldview. The more popular worldviews of our current society are Pessimism (“a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future”) and Nihilism (“extreme skepticism maintaining that nothing in the world has a real meaning”).
Despite their popularity, pessimism and nihilism do not typically lead to healthy outcomes in our lives. Optimism, however, leads to a cascade of healthy outcomes, especially when paired with a well-balanced acknowledgement of difficult truths. No matter those who may call you “vain” for practicing optimism, there are good reasons to. Here are just three reasons you should give optimism a try:
- Optimism Encourages Hope – As far as worldviews go, optimism is the only one that truly preps the soil for seeds of hope to be planted. Hope cannot grow in the choking dirt of pessimism, nor can it grow in the shallow depth of nihilism. Optimism encourages those who practice it to believe fully that the sprout of new life and better times will soon break through the surface.
- Optimism Motivates You – When I get caught up in the thought that my efforts just don’t really matter, fatigue sets in almost immediately for me. Similarly, when I start to ruminate on all the things that go wrong, I rarely start taking meaningful steps toward solutions. However, when I practice the positive thought process of believing things can and will turn out well, I feel energized. That internal momentum becomes external action.
- Optimism Inspires Others – I’ve yet to meet a nihilist who really wants to make a difference. I’ve also yet to have a conversation with a pessimist that left me feeling ready to take another step toward a goal. Optimists, on the other hand, make me smile and feel ready to move. Pessimism and nihilism are contagious diseases indeed, but optimism is twice as viral and three times as symptomatic with outcomes like joy, hard work, and collaboration.
Here’s a bonus fourth reason you should give optimism a try. According to researchers at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, optimistic patterns of thinking are directly correlated to improved mood, increased resilience within life challenges, and maximization of one’s overall wellbeing. If you or someone you know feels stuck in a negative outlook, The Willow Center can help. Give us a call today!
Written by Chase Cotten, Community Director
Reviewed by Ashley English, LAC
