Is it possible to be both optimistic and pessimistic about different ways you see the world?

Optimism and pessimism are two different outlooks on life that dictate how you deal with most situations and your expectations of the world. Optimism and pessimism can co-exist and vary depending on circumstances. For example you may have an optimistic outlook on life, but feel quite pessimistic about your job.

Can you be a positive pessimist?

Positive pessimism is not an oxymoron—it’s a highly adaptive, effective and professional response to difficulty and risk. Positive pessimism does not let anxiety prevent action—it harnesses anxiety to produce positive action, when it’s applied at the right time.

Can you change from being a pessimist?

When you get stuck in a pessimistic mindset or victim thinking then one of the simplest ways to get out of that and out of your own head is to bring the positivity to someone in your life. By adding it and seeing him or her light up and become happier you’ll feel better about yourself and more optimistic again.

What does it mean to be both pessimistic and optimistic?

⚡ Quick summary. To be optimistic about a situation is to expect it to turn out in a good way. If you’re generally optimistic, you’re an optimist—you tend to look at things favorably. Pessimistic means the opposite: expecting a situation to turn out in a bad way or being a pessimist—always expecting the worst.

How do you stay positive and optimistic?

Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

1. Identify areas to change.
2. Check yourself.
3. Be open to humor.
4. Follow a healthy lifestyle.
5. Surround yourself with positive people.
6. Practice positive self-talk.

Why am I such a pessimistic person?

What causes people to become pessimistic? Pessimism usually isn’t a conscious choice. Some people are genetically predisposed to be more negative than others. However, pessimism more often develops as a result of external circumstances, such as a bad breakup, job loss, injury, illness, or other trauma.

Do people become more pessimistic with age?

Statistically speaking, the average person becomes a pessimist when they turn 70 years old. The researchers examined “age differences and longitudinal changes in optimism” in 9,790 older adults over a period of four years. They found that “optimism generally increased in older adults before decreasing,” they explained.