Optimism is called a positive disposition in the face of a circumstance or existence in general, that is, optimism is a tendency that some individuals may have and that by it they tend to see and judge any situation, event or person, always from their appearance more favorable..
It is usually associated with the good spirit to interpret the events of daily life. For example, in the face of job loss, the immediate thought of an optimist will be I'll get something better as soon as I go out looking; in the face of an illness, I will soon be cured; and before any other obstacle, I will solve it without problems.
Origin of the term
The term comes from the Latin optimun, which means "the best". It is said that among its first uses the one that referred to the doctrine of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz which indicated that the world in which we live is the best of all possible worlds. Thus, the term would appear for the first time in French through a review to Theodicy, one of Leibniz's most distinguished works. It was later used by Voltaire in his work Naive.
Close relationship with hope
Optimism presents an intimate relationship with hope because, just as it exists in those who have both hope and optimism, the solid expectation that what is expected or planned will definitely turn out very well despite the fact that obstacles or setbacks must first be overcome . Even more, some believe that optimism arises precisely from overcoming that winding and problematic path, which once overcome makes a person strong and capable of being able to overcome everything only with a positive attitude towards life.
Benefits of optimism
Those who promote the optimistic attitude in life despite what it is consider that optimism is an indication of good mental health and emotional intelligence and also the way to get away from physical conditions, which are often linked to stress, or suffering from a picture of sadness or personal dissatisfaction. So, the fact of cultivating positivity in life, of always looking on the good side of everything, will make you enjoy your existence more and be strong if at some point an unpleasant event comes that you have to face with total vigor to overcome.
Currently, as a consequence of the advance of stress in the world, and hand in hand with it, the need of people to overcome it at any cost is that many organizations and currents have emerged that precisely postulate optimism as a fundamental pillar to the time to face life and the problems that appear. They argue that thinking positive will undoubtedly attract the positive into our lives. Even not only when it comes to overcoming problems thinking positive and being optimistic will help but they also see optimism as a vehicle for success.
Meanwhile, these organizations teach people techniques so that they can open up to a more optimistic outlook on life.
Criticism of optimism
A common criticism made of the optimistic position is that it tends to ignore the negative aspects of existence. Thus, it is associated with a certain denial frivolity. Although this circumstance may occur, the truth is that it is not necessarily related to an optimistic vision of existence. The optimist simply believes that emphasizing the negative does not solve problems, but rather aggravates them. On the other hand, with the positives, the negatives can be overcome and even resolved. This makes the optimistic attitude much more than a childish will, it transforms it into a true sample of rationality to face life.
Pessimism, on the opposite side
The other side of optimism is pessimism, which is precisely the opposite, always looking and considering those negative sides of an issue. Pessimism does not think that progress in anything is possible and from the point of view of psychology it is one of the clearest symptoms of depression.
Always, pessimism, is highlighted by a negative disposition to interpret the events of daily life, continuously looking for the unfavorable circumstances that justify the bad mood. The position of both positions is highlighted in the reference to the glass half full of water.: the optimist emphasizes the full part while the pessimist emphasizes the empty part.
