To experience optimism in a given situation, first step aside and recognize your immediate thoughts or reaction toward the situation. This is whether the circumstance has been personally created by you, or whether you have found yourself in a situation over which you have no control. Your view of the situation, as a matter of choice, can metaphorically be viewed as the commonly stated ‘glass half-full or glass half-empty’ interpretation. As you encounter new scenarios, ask yourself: Am I seeing the best or the worst as my starting point?

 According to Martin Seligman, who has studied optimists for several decades, an optimist’s view of the world is one where defeat is just a temporary setback for the individual, and not his or her fault. A pessimist imagines the worst and is prone to depression, which is a different habit of thinking.1 In general terms, if you recognize a situation as temporary, then you are an optimist, and if you perceive it as permanent, then you are a pessimist.

Seligman conducted a thirty five year study that showed that pessimism in early adulthood results in poor health during middle and late adulthood. Similarly, Seligman’s colleague, Chris Peterson demonstrated that pessimism perpetuates helplessness, and showed that pessimistic individuals are likely to become ill more frequently, and remain unhealthy for a longer period of time. This is because their negative thinking perpetuates a helpless attitude. This also prevents individuals from taking the progressive steps necessary to fight illness.