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 donโt go well (i.e. self-compassion)
- Identify and accept negative feelings so that youโre 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 youโre able to ๐
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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@QuietMagic
What is an example of a situation where you feel realistically optimistic?
๏ปฟI am realistically optimistic for a better day where my emotions are more under control ๐ but I know there will be a few speed bumps throughout the day, and I will try not to let them determine my day.
*misreads the question* ๐คก smh.
An example of a situation where I am realistically optimistic is when I'm studying in a classroom full of strangers. I'll make a friend one day.. but I know it won't be straight away (: but I'm keeping my hopes up.
(๐ That's better ahaha)
Also, I'm the first to answer this!! ๐๐
@emotionalTalker2260
Congrats on being the first to respond, lol. Both of those examples you gave made sense to me. ๐
- You recognize the chance that you might have some difficulties with emotions, but you're hopeful that you'll be able to get through it
- You recognize that you might not make friends with strangers immediately, but you're hopeful that it will happen over the long-term
@QuietMagic
*dances because I was first* ๐ I am glad both examples make sense as at times nothing I say will make sense lol.
One can *always* count on you to make the most informative, insightful, helpful, impactful, thoughtful, well-researched, well-articulated and simply wonderful posts, @QuietMagic, thankyou for bringing your magic to us so often (read: always). ๐
Happy Optimist Day! It is kinda astonishing we have a day to honor optimism too lol!
I like how you mentioned realistic optimism, Josh, it's something I highly believe in and practice (or atleast try to xD) as well. It's also similar to staying cautiously hopeful, like sure I hope "this" happens but I'd be okay if it takes time or doesn't happen exactly as I wanted it to be, that way helps to stay open to the pool of possibilities but jumping in only with a life jacket on lol, if y'all know what I mean here! โค
@Sunisshiningandsoareyou
Woww, thank you! ๐ฅบ
That makes a lot of sense to me what you've said. Sort of like there's an outcome that you're hoping will happen, but you understand that:
- It might not happen right away
- It might not happen exactly the way you expect
- It might not happen at all, in which case you'll have to find some other options
And then the optimism is this sort of attitude of "But it'll be okay and I'll be able to manage it ๐"
@QuietMagic
Yes exactly, glad it makes sense. And for the "I've legit lost count now" time, I love the way you reflect! ๐
@QuietMagic
Understanding from my past mistakes that my grades do not have to define me and it is okay to take time for myself and my mental health first. Now that I have done that, I am enjoying studying and completing my work: I am mending my tasks and goals with everyday and getting into the rightful habit of studying. Before, school felt like a disaster because my mental health felt even worse. Thankfully- even if it felt incredibly hard to have the courage and submit assignments well past the deadline- I have climbed out of that hole and have learned my lesson to take my homework and my mental health by each day.
I will only get better because with everyday, there is always a new life lesson!
@YourDigitalFriend
That sounds great, and I'm glad it's felt like things have improved so much. ๐ You're hopeful about things involving grades/school because:
- You're establishing study habits that feel really solid/doable and like they have a good chance of helping
- You feel like even if your grades aren't perfect, you aren't defined by them and it's okay to value other things and take care of yourself
- You feel like you were able to take that past experience and learn from it
- You feel like even if future obstacles happen, there might be some kind of similar lesson you'd be able to glean from them
@QuietMagic
I think when I started therapy I was optimistic, but I made sure to that I was realistic, because therapy will help me recover, but I realistically can't recover over night.
@Smilybeans
That sounds good! Sort of like, "I'm hopeful that therapy can help, but I understand that it might take some time. I'm willing to be patient and allow the time that's needed for therapy to help."
@QuietMagic
Yes, that's exactly what I mean ๐ and in time I will get better, I just need to keep in mind that realizing it might still take me time. But because I'm optimistic, I am able to wait (:
I just bought a bunch of seeds for myself and my sister's family. I am optimistic that between my husband and I we can grow things successfully and for my sister - there's definitely more cautious optimism - I'm sure they will have something but between young kids, dogs, the deer that show up at their property, etc. things will be a little more haphazard over there. I even tossed in a few tomato seeds into her packaged mix, but I will be starting seedings here for the kids. I think those will be something fun for the kids to watch germinate while there's still snow on the ground, but may not be the best seedlings.
@AffyAvo
Makes sense! It sounds like in the case of the seeds that your sister will be growing, it's unclear whether they'll grow because of different factors (i.e. kids, dogs, deer). But if it happens, then great. And if not, it's pretty understandable given that set of obstacles and it won't be too upsetting.
Then for the seeds that you're growing yourself, those feel like they have a better chance of success so there's something to look forward to there. And if they aren't the best seedlings, it'll still be something fun for the kids to watch germinate, which is a positive result.
@AffyAvo
I love this โค๏ธ
@QuietMagic
What is an example of a situation where you feel realistically optimistic?
I have a choir concert coming up ๐ I'm generally realistically optimistic about those.
@pandaprincess9
I hope your concert goes well! I imagine you feel as though there's a good chance of that based on practice you've been doing up until now in preparation for that concert.
Thank you!!
And yeah, absolutely! It's also part of my approach as a musician -- there will never be a "perfect" performance, but when you're playing or singing music "mistakes" will inevitably happen. You can never repeat a performance, so you have to give it what you have and accept the outcome as well.
I have tried to come up with an answer to the question "Is the glass half empty or half full?"
Then I realize that...I am just glad that I have a glass.
I guess that is what you call realistic optimism, showing gratitude because you have already had a lot of things that some people would die to have, for example, fairly good health.
@WendinCaring
Yeah, that's a funny but insightful thing to say. "At least I have a glass." ๐
Something I sometimes find myself doing when I'm feeling hopeless or depressed is just trying to take stock of all of the different resources I have at my disposal and use whatever I can. "I lost a bit of water from this glass, but I still have all of these other things."
Happy optimism day โค๏ธ I am a very optimistic person despite the challenges I face, but I have a goal to reach my dreams and what I aspire to, I always expect positive events and indeed happen in my life Thank you to everyone
@Zahraa000
That sounds great having goals/dreams that you're aspiring toward. ๐ I guess it's sort of like, "These challenges are happening, but I really care about this goal and want to get there, so I'll push through it and do what I need to do."
I can't say I personally *always* have positive events happen, but if that's your experience then that sounds pretty awesome. ๐
@QuietMagic
I failed my exam by one point and I have to study again for a new one. I have to make a conscious and deliberate decision to think optimistic. I have to listen to motivational messages and listening to the still small voice within. Iโm constantly seeking higher to find the better me. I do not want to feel marginalized. Itโs a challenge when it becomes so much a part of you. One consciously goes in that direction that is why one has to be deliberate. One has to use imagination instead of what seems familiar. If you know the why for living you can endure any how.
@WhiteRoses25
Thanks for sharing! Sorry that you have to retake the exam, but it sounds like you're doing a lot of helpful things. ๐ You're working on studying, you understand what your goals are, and you're trying to immerse yourself in thoughts/self-concepts that help you in pursuing those goals.