Everyone has a different personality. This is what makes the world go round. When it comes to how you look at things or what kind of outcome you expect, people tend to fall into one of three categories: optimist, pessimist, or realist. An optimist will typically make lemons into lemonade. This means that they see everything that happens to them in a positive light. A pessimist is the exact opposite. Pessimists tend to look at things negatively and believe that most things will turn out badly. A realist tends to see things as they are and accepts that things are not always perfect. They deal with problems in a practical way.
An optimist as mentioned will look towards the positive. For example, if they are looked over for a promotion at work they will be understanding and think that they may not be ready for the position right now.
A pessimist looks towards the negative when something happens. If a pessimist is overlooked for a promotion at work they will likely start blaming themselves and look for all of the reasons that they will “never” be promoted.
A realist is more grounded. When a realist is overlooked for a promotion they see the big picture. They will be clearheaded about being passed over and look for what they can do so that the next time there is a promotion opportunity available they are chosen.
Generally speaking, most people fall between these categories. Not every optimist will always be positive and not every pessimist will always be negative. There are pros and cons of each type of personality, but research shows that being optimistic tends to be the healthier choice.
While there are positive and negative aspects of each personality type, research has recently shown that being more optimistic can actually be beneficial. Negativity breeds negativity. This means that being negative or a pessimist can affect your quality of life. Changing your thought process to something more positive can actually have a positive effect on your entire outlook. The research shows that people who tend to think more positively tend to get along better in the work place, are healthier, and feel better overall.
Trying to look for the positive in things can help you improve your situation. While this is not possible all the time, it is possible to change your attitude about your life and reap the rewards.