“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
Reflections: Is Reality Half-Full Or Half-Empty? Laughter can shift our thinking...
Is your reality half-full or half-empty? Is the picture of your life an optimistic or pessimistic one? When I first read the prompt, my initial reaction was to say, reality has shadings of both and that it depends on what day of the week we are talking about… But that is not the question. The question that is being asked is really about our world view and how we navigate through life on a regular basis. I know some people who pride themselves on having a cynical or even pessimistic view of reality; they have little patience for what they call the namby pamby world of the perennial optimist. However, I suspect that privately, some of my pessimistic friends would like a few spins on that optimistic merry-go-round. Why? It works. See that young happy, smiling lady above ? How does she make you feel? Like sadness, happiness is contagious.
“Optimist: Person who travels on nothing from nowhere to happiness.” Mark Twain
Reflections: Is Reality Half-Full Or Half-Empty? ... And the glass?
How do you typically view your world? From a place of lack or of abundance? Honestly, this is not a judgement call. It is simply a way for us to consider how we view/quantify abundance or the lack thereof in our lives. We’ve all come across articles that discuss the power of a positive thought and how it helps shape our expectations and experiences. How we choose to view the glass above, be it half full or half-empty, will depend on our perception of what the glass represents to us. It will depend on our current perspective about our life, and how we typically respond to situations that make us anxious. I think when we are feeling fulfilled and at peace with the world, our response to a half glass of water would be to drink it… and ask for more. When we are feeling short-changed and aggrieved with the world, our reaction to that glass might be to say, “Here we go again, I’m being deprived.” Think about it. I also suspect that our world view; whether optimistic, pessimistic or plain old cynical, will depend on where our mindset is operating from on a particular day, or whether we typically have a high propensity for positive or negative thoughts… It’s not so linear. More below. 
***To blog friends, I’ve been out of commission and will catch up on reading/commenting on your blogs by the weekend. Thanks for your patience!
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Which one are you most of the time? Are you a blend of all three? More below!
