February 2022 Events: Optimist Day
Hello everyone! February 3rd is Optimist Day.
Optimist Day is celebrated on the first Thursday of February. It was created by Optimist International in 2017 to recognize volunteers and youth organizations for their impact on communities, but this day can also be understood as celebrating optimism in general.
What is optimism
Optimism is expecting good things to happen:
- Feeling hopeful for the future
- Expecting things to work out for the best
- Feeling that you can succeed despite challenges
- Thinking that negative events can still lead to positive results
- Seeing challenges as opportunities
- Feeling grateful for good things
Benefits of optimism
People who are optimistic tend to have better physical health:
- Lower risk of all-cause mortality
- Lower risk of cardiovascular disease
- Higher survival rate for cancer
- Improved immune system functioning
- More likely to engage in other healthy habits
- Increased lifespan
People who are optimistic also tend to have better mental health:
- Less distress in response to obstacles
- Less stress in general
- More likely to persist at goals
- More likely to succeed at goals
- More likely to take risks that create positive events in life
Realistic vs. unrealistic optimism
Optimism yields the best results when it is combined with realism.
People who are realistically optimistic:
- Are cautiously hopeful
- Are able to do what is needed to create the outcomes they hope for
- Are able to acknowledge negative realities but still envision positive outcomes
- Are able to be honest with themselves about what is happening
- Are more likely to anticipate risks, mitigate them, and create successful plans
People who are unrealistically optimistic:
- Are convinced they will experience more positive events than is actually the case
- Are less willing to change direction when necessary due to not seeing problems
- Are less able to cope with negative experiences
- Are less capable of solving problems due to discarding negative information
- Can sometimes exhibit toxic positivity (i.e. denying or invalidating the negative experiences of others)
Tips for building optimism
Here are some research-based tips for shifting in a more optimistic direction:
- Reframe stressful events in terms of their potential positive effects
- Be caring and forgiving to yourself if things don’t go well (i.e. self-compassion)
- Identify and accept negative feelings so that you’re then able to release them more easily
- Avoid comparing to other people and focus on what feels happy in your life
- Try to find humor or irony in absurd/awful situations if you’re able to 😊
Here are some additional tips for avoiding possible pitfalls of unrealistic optimism:
- Try to see situations from an outside perspective
- Try to look for specific, objective information
- Try to predict and plan for possible negative outcomes before starting a project
Reflection
What is an example of a situation where you feel realistically optimistic?
Sources:
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/optimism-day/
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/optimist-day-first-thursday-in-february/
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-optimism-3144811
https://wildwoodhealth.com/optimism-is-it-really-beneficial-to-your-health/
https://psychcentral.com/lib/realism-and-optimism-do-you-need-both
https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/ard/R2/Realistic-Optimism.html
https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/optimism-bias/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_prime_your_mind_for_optimism
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I'm realistically optimistic when pursuing my dream job. As much as I want it, I know the journey won't be easy and that I still have to put in the necessary work.
@QuietMagic
What is an example of a situation where you feel realistically optimistic?
sometimes in our lives we feel like things arent happenings we plan but its some other force thats guiding the circumstances while we merely stand and act as mute spectators and it can get frustrating and feeling helpless. Surrendering, taking a step back and having faith during that time , made it much easier for me to accept and brace for new changes
Feeling optimistic is hard for me right now but the time i do feel optimistic is knowing im a survivor and will get through anything life throws at me.
Ive been separated from my husband since january and honestly i feel optimistic that i will get through this and ill learn to love myself again.
Im a its a glass of water type person. Its not half anything. I will take life as it comes.
@QuietMagic An example I can think of where I'd feel immensely optimistic is through times where I may be struggling, yet a positive event (however big or small) happens and gives me hope.
For instance, I was finding it hard to manage my life and mental health for a while. However, I received a high grade on a recent university assignment. Just goes to show that every cloud has a silver lining💙
@LilacKalypso9
That makes sense. 💜 There are some things that have been difficult mental health-wise, but then there are also other things you're able to look at (e.g. high grade on assignment) where things feel like they're going well. And you're able to feel hopeful by noticing what's going well and being glad that that's happening.
@QuietMagic
What is an example of a situation where you feel realistically optimistic?
I feel realistically optimistic while submitting an assignment or a presentation that I have worked hard on.
Being optimistic is an incredibly difficult and challenging thing for me, given how much trauma and abuse I have been through.
However, I am most realistically optimistic when things go well for me or I can control things, or I am in control and independent should I say, and not reliant on others. So my freedom is incredibly important, and no matter how badly things go as long as I have my freedom, I can seek help and get advice but still be optimistic.
