Which Are You?
Surely you have heard of the proverbial glass of water half full or half empty. It actually remains both, however. It comes down to a matter of thinking outside the box with gratitude. And thinking philosophically too. However, we are neither one or the other all the time. But I believe that choosing the glass half full seems a much better outcome in our thinking and life than glass of water half empty.
The relationship or analogy becomes simple. The half full relates to the optimist. This person who looks at the positive outcomes in life. The person who looks mostly at the glass half empty is the pessimist. This one sees the world in all its negative outcomes. I have heard it said that the optimist looks and complains about a problem. But the optimist tries to find a solution to the problem.
Positive thinking represents an attitude of life. Mike Rowe created his “Sweat Pledge.” A few of his points show: be grateful to be alive each morning. Remember life is difficult and unfair. So don’t resent others for their successes. Let go of grudges. I am a product of my choices (not circumstances). Shakespeare said in Hamlet: neither a burrower or lender be. I paraphrase Dennis Prager, author of Happiness Is a Problem, smile more even if it is hard to do so now. Lastly give a happy face towards others even when you feel down or sad. When asked how you feel always say cheerfully, “Great! or Terrific!”
There are a multitude of those who feel entitled, moan and complain about life’s pains and sufferings. They are the pessimists. They look at problems and actually make them worse. They seem never to solve any of them. And they are the ones who look at the glass of water half empty. Do you really want to be like them?
The pessimist wallows in this negativity feeling low and are never happy. They are victims and not victors! They want to blamed all that is wrong in the world on others never themselves. Believe me, it is much easier to look at the negative than positive. It is much harder to work being an optimist. The querulous individual or gadfly only want to criticize. They mostly want to experience pleasure all the time. Their solution may result in partying, drinking, or prescribed medication or even worse drug addiction.
Furthermore, the pessimists criticizes the optimist often with projection and blame. They lie about their nemesis who are blind to the truth of life. The nay sayers see the optimist as looking into a world with rose-colored glasses. The optimist remains a fool to be too happy. But what is wrong with a happy outlook in life? What is wrong with looking at the silver-lining from all events? What is wrong with finding a lesson learned? What is wrong with smiling and laughing and finding a humor the pain and suffering? Nothing!!!
Stress and suffering is definitely all around us. It cannot complete be eliminated! I the book: Man’s Search for Meaning, Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, descripted life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Furthermore, he holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.
The synonyms of an optimist are: certainty, confidence, assurance, elation, enthusiasm, encouragement, calmness, cheerfulness, happiness, hopefulness, peace, and joy.
Therefore, this person looks at things in two ways: he looks at a more favorable side of events or conditions and he believes that good will win out ultimately over evil. What is wrong with these qualities. Of course, nobody is extremely one or the other. The optimist is not denying reality, as the pessimist thinks, but embracing it and looking at the silver-lining (thinking outside the box if necessary).
In addition, Buddhism stresses that pain and pleasure are the two sides of the same coin. We should be able to switch negative situations into positive one simply by looking at it differently. We have the power within us to decide whether to accept pain or pleasure. But I can say that the optimist is the one behavior to emulate over the pessimist. Don’t you?
In conclusion, which one would you choose to strive to become? Is it the gadfly and critic and unhappy unhopeful and unenthusiastic person or is it the none complaining and non whinner; the doer. Thinking and finding the silver-lining in problems and pain looks more hopeful. So as they said the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: “Choose wisely!” How about you? Which is it the path of the pessimist or path of the optimist?
AJ Grauf 2025
A Happy Optimist
