slo’s FRIDAY 2/24 poll - Optimist vs Pessimist

[luvnwdwgal]

I used to be more of an optimist but my husband’s family has just sucked the life out of us for the past 3 years. It’s just been one thing after another and it has turned me into an angry pessimistic person who I don’t like to be.

 

[1420Elexismc]

My motto is "don't believe it till you see it" and don't allow myself to get too excited about much until it actually happens. Then when/if it does-I'm pleasantly surprised. If it doesn't? No harm no foul-because I didn't have my hopes up or expectations too high.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

I am 100% an optimist. I’m a glass half full kinda’ girl!

 

[MamaMermaid]

Probably 50/50. I try to be optimistic but I am admittedly a catastrophist.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Optimist because I ALWAYS think there is always a better way & will relentlessly roll over a thing that catches my eye like a Rubiks Cube 24/7 until a solution clicks into place. Lucky for me very few things catch my eye, I peacefully accept that most of life is just plain messy, a hodgepodge of nothings just telling a story. Some things can't be fixed so there needs to be a way to make peace with these things too, just gotta box them up somehow so they don't metastasize. Yoga and meditation seem focused on developing the skill to navigate the obstacles.

Can't fix a thing if you don't see the thing, so logic dictates an optimist MUST be a realist.

Delusional is something else entirely and requires a certain willful blindness, totally different because evil blossoms under the umbrella of delusion while optimism crushes evil, one sees it and the other does not.

 

[nw6675]

DH and I flip flop. If he's the downer, I'm the upper and vice versa.

 

[kdonnel]

I have evolved as I aged.

Younger me was a pessimist. Older me is an optomist.

 

[fly girl]

50/50. I'd like to say I am more of a 60/40 optimist. I try my best to look at the good in any situation, but sometimes you can't be blind and you need to be prepared.

 

[loves to dive]

Not 100% optimist but more than 75%. It drives hubby and my son crazy since they are 100% pessimist. My son calls me suzy sunshine.

 

[BrianL]

I can be either depending, though lately I've been leaning toward pessimist because the universe just wants to kick me and my loved ones around a lot.

 

[Micca]

I consider myself a realist who tries to be more optimistic than pessimistic.

I think this pretty much nails it. If I start to think too pessimistically I consider my history--pretty darned good so far!

 

[nw6675]

Ironically an engagement ring ad popped up- do I or don't I lol

 

[PollyannaMom]

I almost voted other because it depends on who you ask. - 99.9% of people I know would shout "optimist" for me without even thinking. (Also refer to user name. )

But DH would say I'm a closet pessimist because I tend to run through a lot of possible outcomes (not all of them good) and prepare for them. - But that's really just a personal discomfort with unpredictability. I don't actually expect bad things to happen all the time...in fact, I expect to be OK if they do. - I just like to know exactly how I'll be OK.

So overall, I voted 75% optimist (but I would have gone 90% if I had to pick any number.)

 

[Kitty 34]

I almost voted other because it depends on who you ask. - 99.9% of people I know would shout "optimist" for me without even thinking. (Also refer to user name. )

But DH would say I'm a closet pessimist because I tend to run through a lot of possible outcomes (not all of them good) and prepare for them. - But that's really just a personal discomfort with unpredictability. I don't actually expect bad things to happen all the time...in fact, I expect to be OK if they do. - I just like to know exactly how I'll be OK.

So overall, I voted 75% optimist (but I would have gone 90% if I had to pick any number.)

I would be in that 99.9% category for you.

 

[mumto3girls]

Probably more of a pessimist. I voted 75/25.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I’m an optimist with anxiety which means I’m usually imaging the worst while hoping for the best and simultaneously trying to ground my thoughts in reality. Simple, right?

Pessimist on the inside, no doubt, even though I have a fairly sunny exterior. You can’t go around acting like you’re under a rain cloud, because it really affects everyone around you negatively. For me though, on the inside I NEED to run every scenario through to it’s worst possible outcome. Somehow doing this soothes my fear of the unknown and gives me confidence that I can handle life, come-what-may, by the grace of God. And as an added bonus, every good outcome is a delightful surprise!

I’ve seen ronandannette’s sunny exterior. It looks like this:

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Growing up, we had this hanging in our house.
I think I still sort of think that way even if it’s subconscious.



I guess that makes me a realist, too. I’m probably 75/25 or maybe more like 90/10!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I would say 75/25 in favor of being an optimist.