It is fascinating
that two people from identical backgrounds may look at the 50% filled container
and describe it in a different way.
It is perhaps
concerning that immediate and defining judgements are made depending upon if
they say “half full” or “half empty”.
One will be
held out to be a positive and optimistic go getter and the other as a down cast
pessimist.
Is that fair?
Consider
this:
What if the
glass contained that most disgusting liquid required to be consumed for a
medical test. You may even have consumed that chalky gag inducing concoction
the day before “that test”.
All of a
sudden, looking at the glass as being half empty is a far more optimistic outlook
than describing at being half full.
When asked the
question as to if we are a glass half full or half empty person, maybe we
should first determine what is in the glass.
There seems
to be pressure for us to be seen as optimistic and to be
of a positive disposition.
The usual
catch phrases are rolled out. It’s an opportunity not a problem or out of every
thunderstorm comes a rainbow.
Perhaps my favourite
is, if it doesn’t kill you it makes you stronger implying there is no
space between death and not death, but I digress.
Look at your
connections on Instagram and see how many posts depict a negative situation. We
are forever feeling the expectation of presenting ourselves as optimistic and
positive.
What does
being optimistic really mean?
I have
landed on optimism as being a belief there is a viable and meaningful solution
to every situation that arises.
And it doesn’t
matter if the solution is to empty the remaining contents of the glass or to
top it up, it is simply a belief that a solution exists and you can contribute
to determining what it is.
Optimism is not "The New Black" but it just may be the same old "Green" (or blue, purple, yellow or red)
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