Category Archives: Relationships

How do you view optimism?

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Had never considered pessimistic ways to view optimism until seeing a quote…

Shared this on my Facebook page, and wanted to share here too. Saw these quotes regarding optimism and the different perspectives. It made me chuckle because I can see both sides (I agree with the first):

“For despair, optimism is the only practical solution. Hope is practical. Because eliminate that and it’s pretty scary. Hope at least gives you the option of living.” ~Harry Nilsson

“I find nothing more depressing than optimism.” ~Paul Fussell

After several commenters responded also saying they preferred the former to the latter, this was my response:

I had never thought of optimism like the latter.

After reading it, I could see how having to think optimistically could be depressing for those that tend to sway toward the pessimistic end. After the inside of my head shifted for a bit, I saw the quote as optimism being depressing because that means things aren’t going well.

After catching myself tending to dwell on thoughts of “reality,” and noticing how much it would keep me down/stagnant, I found I prefer being optimistic after being aware of “reality”/circumstances, then choosing to dwell on the good/great/incredible blessings, knowing I may not be able to (quickly) change circumstances, but can change my outlook to handle them better for my health and well-being.

Definitely a life discipline.

How do you view optimism?

Start where you stand, but move forward

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Sharing my Facebook page post as we delve into the final days of 2011. What I like about Berton Braley’s poem is that starting where you stand means to stop dwelling on past disappointments. This could be with others (business ventures, personal relationships), and ourselves. As we approach the new year, we can wrap up loose ends, and start at the “now” point to build a solid foundation, evolve, and move forward.

Cheers to wrapping up the last month of 2011. May it help prepare you for a glorious new year.

Below is a quaint poem. An additional thought could say something along the lines of not staying where you start, but continuing to move forward. But, first things first…

Start where you stand and never mind the past,
The past won’t help you in beginning new,
If you have left it all behind at last
Why, that’s enough, you’re done with it, you’re through;
This is another chapter in the book,
This is another race that you have planned,
Don’t give the vanished days a backward look,
Start where you stand.

The world won’t care about your old defeats
If you can start anew and win success;
The future is your time, and time is fleet
And there is much of work and strain and stress;
Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,
Here is a brand-new trial right at hand,
The future is for him who does and dares,
Start where you stand.
~Berton Braley