What is optimism? We live in a society that obsesses about positivity, and pop culture continues to push optimism as a tool to seek happiness. Avoiding jargon and using common-sense terms, optimism is looking at the bright side, seeing the glass as half-full rather than half-empty, finding the silver lining in a cloud, feeling good about your future and the future of the world, believing that defeat is a temporary setback and not your fault, and confronting a difficult situation and trying harder (Lyubomirsky, 2007; Seligman, 2006). From a psychological perspective, optimism has two key components (Segerstrom, 2006): A thinking bias toward focusing on and recalling positive experiences in your life. A tendency to view your goals as achievable and worthwhile. An important lesson here is that being optimistic doesn’t mean denying the negative, avoiding all unfavorable information, or constantly trying to control situations that cannot be controlled. Benefits of optimism Besides prom...
Written by a board-certified psychiatrist and an expert on self-management of depression, Harpreet Duggal, MD, this blog focuses on practical and proven methods of treating depression that go beyond medications and traditional therapy. It discusses elements of healthy lifestyle, positive psychology, relationships, values, strengths, communication, and wellness. No AI-assisted technology has been used in this blog. The content of the blog is not to be construed as treatment advice.