Optimism and Positive Thinking

OPTIMISM!! A term that is familiar to everyone. So, let me ask, what is Optimism? What I think is most of the people would say Optimism is thinking positive and there is no harm in saying or thinking that but unfortunately there is a lot of difference between Optimism and Positive Thinking. If I state the dictionary meaning of Optimism it would be “an inclination to put the most favourable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome”. I hope it is clear what Optimism is? The definition lucidly states the words inclination & anticipation. This means Optimism is just an inclination towards a particular event or a prediction of an event. But this is just the beginning or a zero-level thought. What after this? What an Optimist is doing to fructify his inclination or prediction? So, the answers to all the questions are POSITIVE THINKING. In short, Optimism is just taking the things positive and Positive Thinking is thinking positive.

Now, let me focus on the first part of the dictionary meaning “An inclination to put the most favourable construction upon actions and events”. If I say that you are a very positive & calm guy. You never argue or fight with anyone & you are just inclined to put the most favourable construction upon your actions. Now say someone criticized you and you showed no reaction to it as you are an optimist. It’s good that you were successful to avoid the skirmish. But till what time will you be able to continue doing that. Actually you are just controlling your anger and one day you will surely regurgitate all your anger upon him. But instead if you are a Positive Thinker, several questions will come into your mind as soon as you are criticized. You will think that why has this happened? Why the person did criticize me in this way? What is there in me to change? And you will change yourself so that you don’t get criticized again. Read Full Article>>

Written by Abhi Aqarwal for Change Today in September 2011