“Chasing Optimism in the Face of Challenges”
Word Count: 745
Why Chase Optimism?
The two most thought provoking words in the English language have to be “what if”.
They open up a gateway into a nebulous world of half certain hopes and unfulfilled wishes.
Making choices is a scary thing, and sometimes we, as humans do not always choose correctly
in certain situations. Worrying about the decisions that have been made is natural, but
regardless of circumstance, there is one choice that transcends all others as correct in any
situation: the choice of optimism.
I find that nowadays, the implied meaning of optimism is naivety. Life is hard, people
are selfish, and to hold an overly positive worldview means that a person is not realistic. An
optimist is only “fooling” themselves by pretending that life is better than it is. Yet, it is the way
we view the world that makes it what it is, and to view the world with an optimistic lens despite
everything negative that is happening is a skill. To further explore the benefits of chasing
optimism through difficult times, the questions of why optimism should be encouraged, how to
chase optimism and the outcome it can have will be discussed.
All people on this earth will face some form of challenge in their life, and how they react
to it is an indication of their true character. Optimism should be urged because it goes hand in
hand with traits such as dedication and problem-solving, and it is crucial to achieving personal
goals. Being an optimist does not lend itself to being a quitter, as staying positive means to
always take the proffered second chance and keep trying. Therefore, optimists learn how to
work hard, work well and keep on working. People who are optimistic have to learn to problem
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solve, and handle the different challenges that appear in life so that they can make the best of
every opportunity and continue to succeed. Positivity is a key characteristic to achieving
personal goals because when individuals are faced with bad luck, it may seem that there is no
end in sight. However, it takes real faith to be able to see the bright light at the end of the
tunnel, and believe that there are better days ahead. A goal cannot be met solely based on
merit, more often than not there is luck involved, and to believe in that luck gives the strength
to keep trying. Nonetheless, to speak of being optimistic is unproblematic, yet the real difficulty
lies in practicing it in times of trouble.
Staying hopeful when everything seems to be going wrong is difficult, yet learning how
to do so will drastically improve the quality of your life. Personally, I would like to believe that I
am an optimist, but at times when I am overburdened with homework, worrying about my
future, and stressing about everything, I have to admit that my thoughts take a pessimistic turn.
In recent months I have discovered that perspective is essential to maintain a hopeful outlook.
No matter how bad a situation seems, it will not last forever, and taking a step back and putting
the issue into context will clear the mind and show things as they truly are. To truly chase
optimism, individuals must always remind themselves that change is inevitable and that
ultimately, the conflict they face will be resolved. An obstacle is a just stepping stone on the
path toward happiness.
A beloved author, J.K. Rowling was not always as successful as she is now. At one time,
she was struggling to pay her bills, raising a daughter alone and dealing with copious rejections
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of her Harry Potter manuscript.1 However, she kept persevering and has now sold millions of
copies of her books, won numerous awards and changed her life for the better through her
own talent, hard work, and a little bit of luck. She stated that “rock bottom became the solid
foundation on which I rebuilt my life” (J.K. Rowling), indicating that there is hope in any
situation, and every test individuals face is nothing more than another opportunity to prove
what they are made of.
Optimism is increasingly important in a world where negative occurrences happen on a
daily basis. Challenges are unavoidable and frequent, but responding with positivity and hope
will decrease stress and improve critical thinking skills. To be optimistic is to embrace the
diversity and difficulty of life, and appreciate the human ability to make the best of an
unpleasant situation.
Bibliography:
Gillett, Rachel. "From Welfare To One Of The World's Wealthiest Women — The Incredible
Rags-To-Riches Story Of J.K. Rowling". Business Insider. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Dec. 2016.
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Gillett, Rachel. "From Welfare To One Of The World's Wealthiest Women — The Incredible Rags-ToRiches Story Of J.K. Rowling". Business Insider. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Dec. 2016.
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