Why Optimistic People are More Resilient by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

Optimism is an important trait that benefits many aspects of your life. Optimistic people are happier, and even tend to live longer. While you may have realized that optimism is important, you may not have realized that being optimistic also helps make you more resilient. Here are some things to consider:

1. Optimistic people see the glass as half full. The optimistic person often sees the setback that might make a pessimistic person give up as a learning opportunity. The optimist keeps moving forward, realizing that she has “at least learned what not to do”. Optimists recognize that failure is part of the process.

2. Optimistic people can wait for the happy ending. Because the optimist inherently believes that all will work out for the best, he is better able to keep working toward delayed gratification than the person who doubts that success will come even eventually.

3. The optimist gets back up more easily. While we’re not trying to suggest that optimistic people never have bad days, it is clear that the optimist recovers from those bad days more quickly than the pessimist. This allows them to keep their momentum more easily.

Some people are inherently more optimistic than others. However, optimism is a trait that can be developed. Your optimism is sure to increase as you focus on the good things in your life rather than the bad ones, and as you learn to see failures as opportunities to improve your skills. At first, this will take some analysis on your part, particularly when it seems that an event or obstacle can’t possibly have a good side. Eventually, however, you will begin to see the positive in situations more easily. Over time, working toward a more optimistic attitude can make you happier, and increase your chances of reaching your most important goals.