What Being Optimistic Really Means

Lisa Franchi July 31, 2014

In this world where there’s seems to be a lot of negativity, practising optimism, at least in the way we view things, can be really helpful. Indeed, mind setting does matter. And there is growing body of evidence suggesting that harnessing optimism is one key towards happiness and self-fulfilment.

But does being positive can really improve our life? And what does it mean? How do you know you are practising optimism? Does it involve forgetting all the negative thoughts and replacing them with good ones? If yes, does it call for ignoring undesirable emotions or doing away from them in and forcing yourself to feel only the pleasant emotions?

An optimist is widely thought as a person who sees the silver lining in every cloud or views the world through rose-tinted spectacles. He or she is someone who always looks at the glass half full, rather half empty. That’s what Pollyanna portrays – if you just think positively, everything will turn out the best.

Yet contrary to the popular notion about optimism, research in positive psychology suggests that optimism goes much deeper than was previously thought.

Defining the Concept of Optimism

On the scientific side, there are two ways to define optimism. Psychologists Charles Carver and Michael Scheier, for instance, define it as ’the global generalised tendency to believe that one will generally experience good versus bad outcomes in life.’ In layman’s term this means ‘looking at the bright side of life’. The other definition is based on the ’explanatory style’ and is more recognised than the first definition – an approach taken by Martin Seligman, the Father of Positive Psychology. In this concept, the basis of optimism does not lie in positive phrases or images of victory, but in the way you think about causes. Seligman believes that each human being has their own way of thinking about the causes that happen to their lives. And that each one develops their explanatory style during childhood and, unless deliberate steps are taken to change it, it will last for the whole of our life, acting as a prism through which we explain to ourselves why things, good or bad, happen to us.

So, people whose explanatory style is pessimistic will assume that when something goes wrong, then it will always go wrong. Meanwhile, those who have an optimistic explanatory style will simply tell themselves that it will go better next time, that it’s just a temporary setback.

‘Redefining’ Your Concept of Optimism

A lot of people find themselves lost when it comes to trying to incorporate optimism in their lives. And that is because of the misconceptions about positivity that can sometimes lead positive-thinkers to regress.

If you are a pessimist and wants to develop a more positive attitude, one significant step towards achieving your goal is to correct the false views you have about optimism.

Here are important truths that we must learn about optimism:

Positive emotions cannot be forced. When people hear about the many benefits of optimism, there’s a tendency to embark on this motto: ‘I am going to be positive’. But this strategy can backfire. The thing is that you can’t ever do away from experiencing negative emotions. As a matter of fact, our brain is hardwired to notice and remember negative things over the positive ones. Scientists call it the “negativity bias”. If you try to ignore negative emotions, they are more likely to strike you over and over again. So what is the best way to deal with them?

Optimism involves being open to others. Practising optimism doesn’t mean doing away from experiences that make you feel uneasy, sad or anxious. It is being open to all sorts of experiences and taking risks. The only difference is that you face all challenges with hope. The more you experience, the more likely you are to come across new events and new opportunities to absorb the good, and to proactively do good.

Optimism also involves doing good. You may not go back to the past and reverse negative experiences. But you can do something in the present that will positively influence your future. Today, you can choose to be kind to others, show compassion, and do good thing. Being optimistic doesn’t only mean having positive thoughts, but doing positive actions too.