Definition Essay: The Joy Of Optimism

Definition Essay: The Joy of Optimism Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if humanity slumped around in a state of eternal pessimism? Joy would be unattainable, and therefore, life would be miserable. Through my short twenty years of life on this earth, I have discovered that it is all about the perspective. Optimism is the key. Optimism is the anticipation that wonderful things are about to happen; it is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events. In my opinion, optimism is the correct perspective. Abraham Lincoln said, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Suppose I were to continue complaining about thorns throughout my life, and fail to relish the exquisiteness of a rose. An amazing quote by C.S, Lewis out of The Magicians Nephew is, “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.” The quote is so incredibly simple; yet, somehow, we seem to forget that our point of view influences how we judge the world. Sometimes a word is most easily defined by it’s opposite. Optimism's antonym is pessimism, which is an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcomes.
Tests have been conducted to prove a connection between the physical and the psychological. One of these tests demonstrated that a student's outlook on life directly affects his cell-mediated immunity. This means that an individual with a more pessimistic perspective makes himself more vulnerable to sickness due to lowered immunity, while a generally positive individual maintains a stronger immune system. This fascinating research adds a completely new aspect to the importance of optimism. Even if you have little motivation to benefit others with your positivity, you might want to consider fostering a sense of optimism for your own