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.....and With That, The Optimist Comes Out!

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Srama, Jan 9, 2019.

  1. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    There are some people you meet, and you feel completely energized. You come out feeling that you can be the best version of you, that it is so easy, and with a smile, that can carry you through the day. Then there are others; they just sap the energy out of you. I have been trying to put my finger on it and have failed to do so. I think I have it now, for now at least - you know that incessant questioning "Are you doing your best? Are you living up to your potential?" "What's wrong with that question" could be your first reaction but it can also have adverse effect you know! Perhaps the tone, perhaps the examples that are shared. I don't know!! I met a person like that yesterday. It is that gloomy feeling and it takes a lot to get me to feel like that! I am usually a very upbeat optimistic person. The number of times, my DH calls me trigger happy is not even funny! For the longest time in my younger days in my first job I had this quotation on my desk – “An optimist is a person who wakes up and says “Good morning, God” while a pessimist goes “Good God! Morning!” in a flowery frame in the prettiest possible font.

    I cannot wait for the morning, I am up at 4.30 and in a long time I am actually staring at the clock willing it to go faster. At 5.34 I feel, 2 more minutes to head out. Finally, at 5.36 am I am happy to head out with my towel and bottle to the gym. As I enter my class, I see that my seat has not been occupied. There has been a little bit of silent "it's mine, no it's mine" with another person. I am happy to give it up most of the time, for he comes early and occupies it anyways but today I am glad it is not occupied even though I have gone at my regular time. I get my cycle ready only to realize that it is not my regular instructor. I need the work out and I will take anyone, today. But then, those songs Oh!! Why is she playing at such low volume and such blah songs? I need a hard workout you know, like punching bags in anger kind of workout. So, thinking of my absent instructor, missing her, I change my resistance to be harder on me. I tell myself that some people inspire you to be your better self, push you while some people make you want to be your better self, by yourself or it will not matter. I came in to clear my head and I am going to do that no matter what. Just as that thought crosses my mind, the volume of the music suddenly has gone up and she is playing a song that goes something like "I am the champion, I work from my heart". There seems to be excitement around the class as we all pick up the intensity of our work out. I look at the clock, five more minutes before the end of the class, I did not realize that I had pushed myself hard for 40 minutes! I get off the bike as soon as the song ends, skipping the cool down completely - I need that fire today!

    As I open the door, my puppy is right by the door, wagging his tail waiting for me to come home and showing me how happy he is to see me even though I have been gone for just a little over an hour. The patio light is working for a change. I let him out. It is still dark outside, at least the temperatures are not too bad i,e., for this time of the year for us. I know that sun will shine bright by the time I head out for the day. I tell myself, make it a great day! I seek my messiah anyways naturally - you know “Illusions”. I open a page randomly and it opens to the page that says “Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.” How does he know? How does this happen? That brings a smile and with that the optimist comes out!

    upload_2019-1-8_20-55-38.png

    I had found this drawing on the web just a few days ago and it had drawn my attention! I had copied it. Now, I know why! Same thing, many ways :)
     
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  2. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sabitha,

    Your 'live in the moment' philosophy is best defined by the description you have given here of your day's events. It's easy to see how you enjoy every single moment and in that moment nothing else exists other than what is happening then. While it is easy to see that, it takes quite a lot of practice to get there. I hope someday I'd be able to be that way too. Optimism does not come easily to me. It is a work in progress.
     
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  3. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Madam Srama,
    Wonderful snippet, as ever from you.I am very happy and delightful to read such articles from optimistic persons with ever positive thinking.
    But in reality ,there are equal number of pessimists who also thrive and succeed.
    The pessimists may look depressing in the view of the optimist. Optimists feel that instead of working out how to make their dreams come true, pessimists are worrying about all the things that might go wrong. They’re worried that even the things they have will be taken away from them by some cruel twist of fate.

    For the pessimists, optimists seem to look unrealistic or impractical and that they are trying to deceive themselves to escape from reality.

    We can't say which is better.
    One thing both pessimists and optimists know is that future is unpredictable.
    To cope with this unpredictability some of us choose to think optimistically because it helps motivate us to try, try again.

    For others a pessimistic mindset performs the same function. By thinking about what might go wrong it helps protect us against when things do go wrong.

    Natural tendencies remain the same.Psychological studies show
    that that pessimists performed better when thinking in negative ways. At the same time optimists were more engaged with their task when they were thinking positive thoughts.

    It seems that when the optimists were using their preferred positive thinking strategy, they were more persistent.

    And the same went for the pessimists, who were most successful when thinking negative thoughts.

    Being optimistic allows people to pursue their goals in a positive way: to dream a bigger and better dream, which they can work their way towards. Optimists also seem to respond better to positive feedback, and part of being optimistic may be generating this feedback for themselves, i.e. thinking positive thoughts.

    Pessimism helps people to reduce disappointment while facing crisis and failures, an unavoidable part of life.They are able to face negative comments and criticisms better and may not always look for appreciations and awards.They prefer to know about the problems they may face and how to tackle them.
    Nothing is better than the other. There are two different strokes to arrive at the same drawing.
    In 2014 I had written a snippet
    Does Pessimism have a role?
    Sorry, if I have shared dissimilar thoughts.

    jayasala42,
     
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  4. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Sabita,
    I am an eternal optimist. Whether it is practical or not I do not know.... But it is inbuilt. If something goes wrong about which I was optimistic.... Initially may be disappointed but bounce back with "Tomorrow is another day" like Scarlett O'Hara!!!
    Syamala
     
  5. girvani

    girvani Platinum IL'ite

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    My dearest Srama,

    You not only live in the moment with optimism you make people read your snippets feel the joy. What a way to start the day reading your snippet. As @satchitananda mentioned my goal is to reach your state of mindfulness at some point in my life and write like you. I simply love it.
    Love,
    Vani
     
  6. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Satchi,

    Thank you for your lovely words. As much as I hear you say, I live in the moment you know I am kind of unaware of it. It heartens me to know that perhaps I am doing it :) Thank you for that encoragement.

    Now sometimes, the downside is when I hang onto something for a few days, every one around me gets frustrated - they feel it is just not me! Then I go, but 'you do' but they go, 'but you don't!'

    Thank you for your feedback as always!
     
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  7. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Thank you for your response JS Ma'm. I appreciate your point of view and appreciate it. No argument there :)

    'Which is better for me?' was my thought process. Identifying that and creating that environment for myself; sooner than later was what was my goal. I am pretty sure, some of my friends in my circle go 'what's she upbeat about all the time?' and even get irritated. Some have confessed so, actually even though I am not that upbeat all the time!

    I was not trying to say who is better or what is needed more. The snippet was simply a personal anecdote of a day in my life. Nothing more.

    Thank you for your feedback.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
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  8. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Syamala,

    I cannot see you any other way! Glad to have company.

    You are right, it is inbuilt - we are the way we are!

    Thank you!
     
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  9. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Vani!!

    Aww!! Thank you so much. I am truly touched to hear that it makes a difference when you read my snippet. You are an amazing person and I see it here and elsewhere all the time! Thank you for being that.

    @satchitananda knows me better ;-) I am not all that mindful all the time but thankfully, I bring myself around sooner....and try to be mindful.

    Thank you as always for your sweet words.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2019
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  10. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    A optimist would never know the value of pessimism if he/she doesn't meet people of the second category. Like pleasure and pain, optimism and pessimism are pair of opposite, and the combination of both of them results in life experiences. The human mind is both combination of optimism and pessimism. If not, we won't be able to recognize someone who is a pessimist. When someone is extremely optimistic, only that attitude is visible while pessimism remind dormant within. While optimism sets the tone for the attitude to perform actions without expectations, pessimism sets the expectations even before performing the actions. Both are mind games and equipoise mindset provides the best balance.

    Isn't it the power of intention? When you are natural optimist, the energy source inside of you creates enough power outside to make it happen.

    He is adorable. If you are a natural optimist loving everything that happens in real time, here he is showing you unconditional love. He can read your mind. :)

    I am a big believer that everything that happens in our lives are happening either for us to experience our Karma or showing a way for our salvation. Accepting those circumstances and learning out of them makes our mind gets closer and closer to our consciousness.

    Viswa
     
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