Pessimism Challenged

As a pessimist, I tend to look at a situation and see the bad first off. So many people have gotten on my case over the years for seeing the bad in a situation or what have you. It's not that seeing the bad or in a lot of cases the reality in situations that a pessimist should be reproved for. If you want to really help your pessimistic friends be more balanced in their thinking here are some ways to encourage them to think differently. Most importantly, don't try to argue with them to become an optimist. It won't work but only gives them an opportunity to point out all the negativity in life and may even bring you down.  A pessimist is usually one for a reason. They probably have been hurt and disappointed in several ways that now they put up a wall of 'pessimism' to protect themselves from getting hurt again. Their pessimism helps keep them from getting excited about things so that they aren't disappointed if it doesn't work out...since they don't expect it to. Their pessimism often is rooted in bitterness from some experience in their past. Keep this in mind when you're trying to get them to see the good. If you truly want to help pessimists, you have to first understand why they are one. What I have found helpful is when I have pointed out the negative in a situation that someone says to me, " OK, now what good can you see?" If you keep asking this question, the pessimist will start to become more balance in their thinking. They will stop dwelling on the bad and try to find some good.  No one likes to be disappointed. It's easy to get upset when things don't go as we expected or wanted to. A pessimist will act as though they aren't disappointed and even tell you that they aren't because they really didn't expect it to work out in the first place. Instead of arguing with them over how to think about avoiding disappointment, point out to them the beauty it it. Yes, there is beauty in disappointment for those who love God. The beautiful thing is that God only orchestrates what is absolutely best for us!! So if something doesn't work out how you hoped that is because God has something EVEN BETTER for you. So why stay upset that something didn't work out when the BEST thing for you replaced it? Why pick the penny over a million dollars? As a Jesus-loving pessimist, that has been the greatest promise and blessing that has helped me to be more balanced in my thinking and therefore be able to rejoice more often (still striving for always). So challenge your pessimist friends or your cynical ones, with that thought. I'm not sure where the idea for this post came from...I just wanted to share a part of my life that God has been slowly and patiently help me grow in. There will always be disappointment but in the end GOOD will triumph and only JOY will be forever more!


*Clarification: Whatever I said about pessimists, I said from my own personal experience and others that I have encountered. It is not true for all pessimists.