is for ptimist
The Way I See It
Recently it was brought to my attention that I am an optimist. Like I don’t know this about myself! Anyway, this was not said as a compliment. The person who was speaking said that as an optimist I have an unrealistic view of things. She added that she was a realist and had a better picture of the way things are in life.
What do you think? Does being an optimist mean I don’t see things as they really are? That I only see the sunny side of the street and never see dark clouds? Because I don’t dwell on the negative and work to see the positive does that make me unrealistic?
Believe me, I know there is darkness, unhappiness, fear, sorrow, and all sorts of badness in life! I don’t live in a sterile bubble shielded from all harm. I have probably lived three-quarters of my life and there has been some incredible sadness in those years but that doesn’t define me. Sad times, bad times, are part of what has made me the person I am but they are not the whole of me. There has also been amazing joy in my life and some of the joy, the positive, came out of the negative sadness. I chose to be optimistic and I am a realist, I see the good and the bad. I just don’t dwell on the bad. If I can change something to make it better I will; if it cannot be changed, made better, and I can leave it I do. But if I cannot leave it I will accept it as part of my world but I will not make it the center of who I am.
They way I see it…all optimists are not unrealistic in their views any more than all pessimists are realistic in theirs. And given the happiness ratio between the two, I think I will stick with optimism.
Patricia's Place 
I am both. I prefer to be optimistic on life but I am a realist when I need to take action. All good. I am a pessimist in my worst moods which are infrequent.
It is strange to me that most seem to think being an optimist means not being a realist. I am an optimist but I am a realist. I just don’t live in the pit of pessimism. Though, sometimes I kinda slip off the side of the pit.
Optimism has hope which brings resilience to nurture dreams. Realism keeps us stuck in a place where no one believes things can change. Stick with Optimism!
Optimism-hope-resilience-nurture-dream…I love the progression of thought.
I am a realist. I am more comfortable with that. I think there are things that need to be considered from all sides. I try to never have expectations for the same reason. I do not want to be disappointed. There is good and bad, and I think there are things to be learned from both. It all comes out in the wash.
When you say you are a realist does that mean you think you are a pessimist? I don’t think all realists are pessimists any more than I think all optimists are unrealistic. I like having expectations. Even if they don’t work out like I think they should it’s fun to dream.
Hello again, Patricia! We chose the same word for O. I also wrote on optimism. I’m a pessimist by default, but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve wished that wasn’t so. It is so much better to be optimistic. Whatever has to happen WILL happen. Our pessimism doesn’t change that. All it does is steal our joy from the moment!
Btw, I published my O post today. (I’m lagging behind by a day.) It is at A to Z of Happiness: Optimism.
Do visit it.
Happy AtoZing!
Maybe you are really a optimistic pessimist? Usually, whatever is going to happen is good, not always but more often than not in my experience.
I agree with you 100%! Being an optimist doesn’t mean you wear rose-colored glasses, it means you prefer to focus on the positives, which is a healthy and wise thing I think. Too many people who call themselves “realists” tend to focus on what is not so good about life. I am very aware of all the bad stuff and the scary stuff, but I don’t want to dwell there, I refuse to live my life in fear. God is still in control, and it is still a good world. I have a blessed life. I also believe that there is good to be found in everyone. I am proud to be an optimist! 🙂
To focus primarily on the ugly parts of life doesn’t allow us to see the beauty around us. Optimists know the ugly is there but that it is not as interesting as the beauty. How can one make things better if beauty is not recognized in the first place?