Q&A: Optimist and Pessimist

QUESTION: What do you do if you are an optimist that lives with a pessimist?

ANSWER: My answer begins with a question; “What does it mean to you to be an ‘optimist?’” If you really are an optimist, what you want to do is share that positive energy that you have. Now, if you’re being influenced by somebody who sees things negatively, you have to become more than an optimist, you know have to be an optimist who also has certainty. You can see the glass is half full but what do you do when you keep hearing negativity? You can hear it and decide that maybe the glass really isn’t half full or you can hear it but not take it on because of your certainty that the glass is half full. In other words, you don’t have to accept what you’re hearing. From this place you can actually influence them the other way.

We tend to allow ourselves, optimist or not, to be affected by so many things around us. The next time you are relating to someone who is coming from negativity you can say, “I hear you, but I’m not giving that energy. Focusing on what’s wrong isn’t going to get us to where we need to be.” Being optimistic is a beautiful quality but without the certainty behind it, it isn’t a strong. Notice the times that you give into the negativity and look for ways that you can strengthen your own certainty instead of trying to to change the other person.