Being an optimist or a pessimist is nothing more than perceiving reality, evaluating it and predicting the results differently. Are optimists and pessimists born or made? We could say that there is a small genetic component, but that in the end, it is the experiences and behaviors we have seen in our environment that have the fundamental weight.
The optimist has a different way of facing life, of what happens to him, he tends to enjoy more what he has, he understands that what happens to us are experiences from which we can learn and he does not see the future as threatening. They do not tend to anticipate, and if they do, they think more in opportunities than in catastrophes.
Optimism leads to positive emotionality, less stress and, therefore, greater health and life satisfaction, while pessimism leads to sadness, demotivation and, if it is very recurrent, even depression.
The two sides of the coin can be seen expressed in the following proverbs which clearly describe the two patterns of thinking: that of the optimist, “Every cloud has a silver lining”. On the other hand, the pessimist’s would be, “Think wrong and you will be right”.
But can a pessimist change, or is he or she doomed to sustain this situation all his or her life?
“Pessimism and sadness are often only laziness” (Seneca).
There is nothing that needs less effort than being sad and pessimistic.
A pessimist, not only can change, but, as is evident, it will be worth investing in it. Although this ends up being a personal choice, like almost everything else.
As we already know, each neurotransmitter causes certain behaviors and states. Serotonin and dopamine provoke states of relaxation and well-being, while hormones such as cortisol, in excess, tend to provoke anxiety and irritation. It is obvious that a pessimist will generate hormones that provoke negative feelings and states. Not to anticipate, not to dwell on the problem but to look for solutions and not to ruminate on negative thoughts can reverse this situation. There are real specialists in making their lives bitter and the worst thing is that many of them do not want to get out of this circle, probably because it brings them unconscious secondary gains that, as long as they are not resolved in a conscious way, will keep them in their “stand by”. “Nobody changes if they don’t need to”. The problem, in this case, is usually the collateral damage to their environment.
The state of mind directly influences the state of health and that is more than scientifically proven. That is why the optimistic and positive person gets sick less and recovers sooner.
If we transfer all this to the world of work, we can say that negativism at work is an epidemic and conditions the work environment.
“Choose a job you like and you will never have to work a day in your life” (Confucius).
The “yes” at work is what requires more effort, the “yes” at work is what requires more effort, the “no” and refusal implies less commitment and responsibility, but this usually generates pessimistic, negative and uncreative environments, as well as rarefied work environments. The change of attitude at work, seeing it in a positive light, whether we like it or not, but making us aware that it is a means to live, trying to improve it with creativity, the will to improve relationships and a collaborative attitude, will help us to generate optimism and positive emotions in this regard. Sometimes it is not possible to have the job we would like, but perhaps it is in our hands to improve the environment and if not, there is always the decision to break away and look for another job where we can feel better.
In a future post I will talk about what we can do to cultivate optimism, although I anticipate that a good Positive Attitude Course or Positive Thinking Course can be crucial to start developing our skills in this regard.
