Concept in Definition ABC

Optimism is the positive disposition facing a circumstance or existence in general, that is, optimism is a tendency that may have some individuals and who, through it, tend to see and judge any situation, event or person, always from their most basic aspect. 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 thought Immediate of an optimist will be I will 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 has an intimate relationship with hope because, like hope, 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 must first be overcome or setbacks. Furthermore, some believe that optimism arises precisely from the overcoming of that winding and problematic path, which once overcome makes a person strong and capable of being able to overcome everything with just one attitude positive 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 cultivating positivity in life, always looking on the bright side of everything, will make you enjoy your life more. existence and be strong if at some point an unpleasant event comes that must be faced with full vigor to get over.

At present, 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 that precisely postulate optimism as a fundamental pillar when facing life and the problems that appear. They hold that think the 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 of the optimistic position is that it tends to overlook 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 just means the opposite, always looking and considering those negative sides of an issue. Pessimism does not think that progress is possible in anything 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.