I like to consider myself to be an optimist, as I am sure that most dreamers do. I always believe that things will work out as they should, and even if they don't pan out exactly as I'd like them to, I still try to look for the positive in the situation. I can't always say that this is easy, and sometimes the good can still be a hard pill to swallow. Admittedly, I'm also a little bit of an idealist, so it can be hard to accept when not everyone is happy, and things didn't pan out the way that they would in a movie. I also have to admit that when bad things happen, whether to me or in the world, it can also get me down quite a bit. I am quick to become emotionally invested in something, whether it directly involved me or not. Heck, it doesn't even have to affect me, or anyone I know personally, at all, and I can still be emotionally invested in it. It's actually a bit of a
mood-killing habit for me because if you haven't noticed, things in the world aren't exactly
great right now, and the realist in me knows that, unfortunately, it isn't going to all change by tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. But the thing is, being an optimist doesn't necessarily mean always being happy. Nor does it mean that you never have negative thoughts.
Being an optimist doesn't mean being oblivious to the negative. Nor does it mean ignorantly believing that everything in the world is just peachy and that tomorrow everyone will wake up wanting to be the best versions of themselves, and everyone in the world will all join hands singing Kumbaya, figuratively speaking. It doesn't mean believing that everything will have a fairy tale ending or that there won't be any hardships along the way.
Optimism isn't the belief that life is perfect, or even can be perfect. Optimism is recognizing the negative and acknowledging it but choosing to look at the positives. It is choosing to continuously work towards living your goals and not throwing in the towel at the first sign of trouble. Optimism is making an effort to create a positive life for yourself and those around you.
Unfortunately, but understandably, not everyone is an optimist. For the longest time, I was more of a pessimist myself. I'll be honest, I still have pessimistic thoughts from time to time. It's only human. Especially when you're constantly being bombarded with negativity. But it
is possible to be an optimist, no matter what your situation may be. And it
is possible to change your mindset if you sincerely want to.