“A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty”. Winston Churchill said this quote, and I believe it makes all readers question them selves and as to whether they see the glass half full or half empty? When I read this quote, it became clear how optimism relates to me; it assists me in diverse situations and builds my adaptability, determination and self-awareness.

I believe optimism allows the world to promote happiness, spread positive and hopeful vibes, and create positive anticipation for the future. Optimism is a tendency to look on the more favorable side of events and expect the best outcome. Keeping an optimistic mindset allows us to see failures as a new start. Elvis Presley would best agree with this statement, as he once said “when things go wrong don’t go with them”.  We, and the people around us learn and grow from our mistakes. If you carry around the baggage of your past mistakes, you will have no space to store new improvements. Distractions that come from getting stuck in our failures easily restrict us from gaining important learning experiences. We need to let go and understand that all people make mistakes and go through challenges. We need to take control and choose to see the best in every situation. We need to better ourselves so that our optimism will reflect onto others and create a sense of hope within them. Optimism can be defined as not allowing hardships to set you back. It will help you set of a foundation of seeing opportunity in the face of challenges and difficulties.

Furthermore, having a positive outlook has many more benefits to you and those around you. Establishing optimistic rather than pessimistic views can completely alter a situation. When I was nine, my family moved from Pennsylvania to Kansas. At first, my four brothers and I were very dejected knowing we would have to leave all our friends and family. Leaving behind strong relationships and poignant memories would be presented as one of the first challenges I had to face. After feeling glum for several weeks prior to moving, I realized I had no say in whether we were to go to Kansas or stay in Pennsylvania. Once I knew it was inevitable that I would be leaving my comfortable life and moving, I decided my only option was to stay optimistic. I was hopeful I would have just as good of a life in Kansas. Staying optimistic opened opportunities for me to make new friendships and try new things. Keeping an open mindset allowed me to see the best side of the circumstances and influence my brothers to do the same. Remaining buoyant enabled us to be thankful for the transition to Kansas and all the ways it has benefited us. We all are now very much in love with life in Kansas and grateful for the friendships we have made and will continue to make. If I allowed pessimistic views to invade the situation, it would have interfered with not only my own attitude but my brothers’ as well. Consequently, I would not enjoy the life in Kansas that I do now. This situation began to alter my views on optimism at an early age. Since then, my family and I see having optimism in displeasing situations very vital.

On top of all the benefits of optimism listed, optimism also plays a roll in your overall health. Its proven that people who have a positive outlook on life are much more likely to stay healthy and enjoy living. According to studies from Harvard University, optimism helps a person to stay healthy and boost longevity. For example, a huge new study in the United States found that optimists were less likely than pessimists to develop coronary heart disease and less likely to die of any cause over the course of an eight-year trial. That in itself is a reason to chose optimism over pessimism everyday.

Although it may seem that optimism is an easy choice, it is not. Optimism is not a trait everyone possesses. Optimism is not a fancy word for avoiding reality. Optimism is not looking down on people for choosing pessimistic views. Optimism is not the practice of lying to yourself in the name of “positive self-talk”. Optimism is the practice of telling yourself the truth in an empowering way. Optimism is choosing to recognize that your sense of intelligence, adaptability, creativity, and determination, is as much of a part of reality as anything that happens to you.