Why Optimists Get Through Hard Times Easier: Three Reasons

A positive approach promotes efficiency, focus, and even replaces social support. Optimism has a beneficial effect on mental and physical health and helps to recover faster. In addition, it contributes to success in business and personal life. And what else helps faith in the best?

Here are three reasons why optimists overcome adversity more easily than others:

1. An optimist is not afraid of failure

Any difficulties are accompanied by the reaction of the one who experiences them. Even if you are lying on the couch and doing nothing, you are reacting to the problem in this way. The complex of cognitive and behavioral responses to difficulties is called an adaptation strategy, which can be of two types:

– a problem-oriented strategy, when a person tries to identify the cause of a failure and quickly eliminate or correct it. He analyzes the situation, looks for and finds ways to improve the situation;

is an emotionally oriented strategy in which the optimist tries to reduce or stop the discomfort caused by the problem. He may try to forget about her, complain to friends, or even turn to religion, hoping that prayer will help him.

According to the research of social psychologists Liz Solberg Nes and Susan Segerstrom, optimists do not hide their heads in the sand, but choose a problem-oriented strategy. Having lost their job, they immediately begin to act: “tighten their belts”, plan the budget in a new way, and actively look for new earning opportunities, without hesitating to turn to friends for advice. Only serious medical diagnoses can force optimists to briefly resort to an emotionally oriented strategy: seeking solace in loved ones or in religion. Nevertheless, optimists quickly come to their senses, recognize the problem and begin to solve it.

2. An optimist finds positive aspects in any situation.

Facing trouble each person decides which aspects of the problem to focus on when solving it. Optimists miraculously find positives even in such unpleasant things as a medical operation or being fired from a job.

A positive outlook on life is reflected in health. Optimists get sick less often and cope with various diseases faster. So, the frequency and intensity of asthmatic attacks in optimists is less than in pessimists, because the former react less to stressful situations that cause an attack, and do not panic if an attack does occur.

When something bad happens optimists, firstly, try to find an explanation for what happened, and secondly, to take something positive out of the situation.

Optimists treat any losses philosophically, as an integral part of life experience that contributes to personal growth.

3. Optimists are less dependent on the environment

In difficult times, everyone needs the support of loved ones. Nevertheless, optimists adapt faster and more successfully to conditions that have changed for the worse, without requiring constant participation from friends and acquaintances, while pessimists need constant social support and give up when they are alone with the problem.

Studies have found that the effectiveness of breast cancer treatment depends on the degree of involvement of loved ones in pessimistic women. At the same time, in optimistic patients, the effectiveness of treatment did not depend on social support.

It is generally accepted that optimism is an innate trait, but each of us can develop it in ourselves if we set such a goal. After all, whatever one may say, from any side it is beneficial to be an optimist.