Optimist: who he is, his views and character traits

The psychology of optimism is quite simple. After all, people who enjoy life do not embellish reality. They simply choose the best that life has to offer them .

Optimists are equated with titans who, at the cost of incredible efforts, ignore difficulties and put on a routine smile on their face. But is this really so?

How to learn to love, appreciate and respect yourself? Read about it here.

How to become an optimist

The development of this type of personality can begin in childhood, or even in adulthood, if someone thinks about how to become an optimist. The older a person is, the more difficult the task, but it can be done at any age. It’s just that the severity of this symptom may vary. If in youth “rose-colored glasses” are perceived as normal, then healthy skepticism and realism are more associated with baldness or gray hair. But faith in the best is useful at any age. So, you can remain an optimist until you are very old. And if throughout his life he supplements his faith with hard work and diligence, then there may not be any reason to doubt the power of optimism.

Still, it is better to raise an optimist from early childhood. Just explain to the child that in addition to believing in victory, you also need to make an effort. This mechanism for achieving success is described in detail in the famous book of the American writer Napoleon Hill “Think and Grow Rich”. According to the firm belief of the author, unshakable faith in one’s strengths, multiplied by diligence and determination, will certainly bring long-awaited success.

How to be an optimist? It is not enough to believe in success; you also need to take concrete actions to meet your expectations. This is exactly what should be taught to children, who must distinguish between fantasies and a specific plan of action.

The optimist personality type is both a gift and a great responsibility. On the one hand, such people are always positive and charge others with it. On the other hand, without a rational view of the world, they sometimes ignore common sense, while leading other people in the wrong direction. So, when raising or building relationships with them, it is always necessary to distinguish between confidence and arrogance, developing the skill of adequately perceiving the situation.

What is the optimism of the “Optimists”? Bugs and nonsense from the authors of the series

The authors position the film as supposedly based on “real events.”
And if so, then it should correspond as closely as possible to how everything really was. Even if it is an artistically presented factography. In reality, the film, supposedly based on the “realities” of that time, is pretty stuffed with blunders, nonsense and nonsense, sometimes reaching the category of “bullshit.” And most importantly, the authenticity of many scenes and events is far from historical realities. But it is in the details, as they say, that the devil is hidden... The film begins with the introduction of the main characters to the audience during the American Exhibition, which took place in Sokolniki in July 1959. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs introduces “the best employee of the American department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs” Ruta Laumane to the “head of the International Department of the CPSU Central Committee” Valentin Vareinikov (though at that time his official position was called the head of the International Department, and in the nomenklatura world there are no liberties in designating a position of such a high rank were allowed, but oh well), as well as the Deputy Sector of the International Department Grigory Biryukov, who is under the patronage of his “boss”.

Laumane says that it is necessary to create a unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of young people who know the Western world, the habits of foreigners, it is necessary to teach diplomats to communicate with their colleagues “in a new way.” Without thinking twice, Laumane, during the exhibition, selects a certain trio of people wandering around the hall, and, as it later turns out, takes them into the newly formed unit - the Information and Analytical Group (IAG), which she conceived and heads. It seems that at that time there was a shortage of young and trained personnel in the diplomatic department. It's been almost 15 years since the war ended. MGIMO has been operating for 10 years. What's the problem?

Well, okay: “created”, “recruited”... And what do we see?

Muratov is a graduate of MGIMO, who graduated with honors. Born into a family of diplomats in France, he spent his childhood there. And for some reason he is interested in “young African democracies.” Why not France?

After the army, Leonid Korneev served in the USSR Merchant Marine. Nothing is known about his education. Why? At the same time, he is presented as supposedly “an indispensable specialist on Cuba and Latin America.” Why the hell did he suddenly become like this?! Well, he was in Cuba, most likely in passing, as a sailor. Well, I knew some of the Cubans from the orphanage. And what does all of Latin America have to do with it?

Next is Golub. He is actually a sinologist. What does this have to do with the Western world, which Laumane spoke about when she discussed with the deputy minister the need to create a new unit?

In other words, they hired young employees, two of whom - Golub and Korneev - hardly correspond to this understanding at all. Golub has never been abroad and has no experience working with foreign diplomats. Although Korneev has been there, it was as a merchant marine sailor, and this is a completely different area. Yes, Muratov was born and raised in France, but this does not mean that he is well informed about the world of diplomats. It is doubtful that Muratov could have been accepted into MGIMO and then into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because of his biography.

There are always inconsistencies in the series. At the beginning of episode 1, Andrei Muratov demonstrates his knowledge of the English language (“at the level”). However, later, during a meeting with an American group in nature, the trio declares that none of them can speak English. A question arises regarding Golub: what language did he take when entering MGIMO? It clearly couldn't be Chinese, which he speaks. At the same time, it is not clear what language Muratov studied at MGIMO (although, apparently, English?), if he was fluent in French even before entering the university. He would definitely have to be given another language to learn, maybe two. It is not clear which university the sailor graduated from and whether he graduated from a university at all - this is not mentioned anywhere - and how he ended up at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the first place. Really straight from the American exhibition?!

And, according to the authors, they can teach their more experienced colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work “in a new way”?! Hmmm... In general, the IAG seems to be a unit with some obscure functions, and what they do can often hardly be the responsibilities of such a structure. For some tasks, these guys simply replace the operational diplomatic departments of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And it is unclear for what purpose. These “eagles” are going to teach diplomats how to “correctly” communicate with their colleagues, and at the same time they themselves are learning the basics of golf from a book! What, the diplomats themselves couldn’t think of reading such a book? And why did IAG employees become interested in playing golf during working hours? It turns out that the senator recently invited an employee of the Soviet embassy in the United States to play golf! But he refused. Therefore, in Moscow, IAG is urgently learning the basics of golf in order to write some kind of “memo”, the place of which is clearly in the trash can. To urgently and remotely teach an incompetent diplomat this game, or what? In general, it's some kind of nonsense. It seems that the events are taking place not in the 50-60s, when Soviet diplomacy accumulated experienced and knowledgeable personnel, but in the 20s-30s, when appointees “from the plow” came to the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and wiped their snot with their sleeves.

The main events in the film date back to 1960, when Biryukov was “exiled” to the Foreign Ministry due to what was actually an international scandal. After such a serious offense that he committed against a German citizen, he definitely should have been banned from traveling abroad. Therefore, he would have nothing to do in the Foreign Ministry. And he rides abroad as if nothing had happened, and not only to socialist countries. Even with his patron, Vareinikov, this would hardly have been possible. Biryukov is seriously demoted and appointed head of the IAG - instead of Laumane, who turns out (“the best employee of the American department”) was only acting as the head of this group. Why would she be so distrustful? And for the whole year! Unclear…

The new head of the IAG understands that he has actually ended up in a “poorhouse.” Whether it was worth creating such a group at the Foreign Ministry is a big question! At least not for young and promising guys. Usually, employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have committed fines are holed up in such an almshouse. And here they take young “optimists” who have a brilliant command of foreign languages ​​and still have no sins in their souls, and declare them a kind of superpower, capable of solving problems that other employees of the diplomatic department are supposedly unable to handle. Hm…

Biryukov calls for doing “the real thing” and not writing memos that no one reads. Of course he is right. And this is where the authors of the series drag this ill-fated IAG into cases to which it is unlikely that its employees would actually be allowed.

One of the real historical events reflected in the series was the destruction of the American U-2 aircraft, which occurred on May 1. However, the events are not presented very reliably, and most importantly, the further fate of the colonel-pilot, who commanded the flight of high-altitude fighters, is puzzling. Yes, our pilot died, who, due to poor organization and the lack of a “friend or foe” identification system on the plane, was shot down by a missile. However, the colonel is not at all to blame for his death. Nevertheless, the honored pilot, hero, participant in the war behaves like an impressionable girl - rushing about, sprinkling ashes on her head, almost crying. And this is a combat officer who has probably seen a lot of death.

They want to transfer this colonel, Laumane's husband, to the cosmonaut corps as an instructor. It seems to have “resolved.” However, the medical commission rejects the pilot. Well, it would seem, what are the problems? After all, he is not an astronaut, but just an instructor. Nevertheless, he was discharged from the army. Why?! A person with such merits and qualifications would definitely find a place to apply his strength and knowledge. The filmmakers nevertheless remove him from the army. He begins to freak out and develop complexes and drives himself to suicide. But he couldn’t even shoot himself in the head—he missed! Here's a combat officer for you... And then he commits suicide altogether by cutting his wrists. Why did the filmmakers need to present a Soviet officer in such an unsightly form?

Well, let’s say the authors of the film decided to tell a story about the IAG, which in reality did not exist in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But why do they talk about it either as a group or as a department? Despite the fact that it is not stated directly anywhere, but in a number of ways it turns out that the IAG seems to be subordinate to the Department of Foreign Policy Information, the head of which is P. Shuiko. This champion of secrecy and at the same time a chatterbox who divulged (after just a small glass of rum - chronic alcoholic?) important secret information will be discussed later. Therefore, there cannot be another department within a department. But confusion continues throughout the film. The strange story continues during a reception at the Cuban embassy. Laumane introduces Korneev to Shuiko - as if the former is not an employee of Shuikov’s department. Moreover, she introduces Korneev as almost a regular at receptions at the Cuban embassy and asks to introduce (!) Shuiko, who in his 20 years of work at the Foreign Ministry has probably been here more than once, with the Cubans. Well, some kind of nonsense... Even greater nonsense: Shuiko, without hesitation, reveals top secret information to a Swedish diplomat about the downed American pilot. According to the authors, this appears to be possible. After this, he would inevitably have to be taken far away and for a long time to some almshouse worse than the IAG. But no! He's afloat! "Valuable frame"! What's valuable in it?

Further. The Swede urgently tells the American ambassador such important secret information. What does an American do when he has only 15 minutes left to transmit information to the embassy? Instead of going and simply calling his embassy from the Cubans, for some reason he is trying to leave in his car! Well, I should have called, warned the State Department, and then go to your embassy! This is what an experienced diplomat would do. And here... In general, another bullshit from the authors of this “thriller”... Well, don’t they really have enough imagination to come up with something more reasonable and believable?! And so on throughout the film.

By the way, the storyline concerning the actions of the special services in the film (both Soviet and American) sometimes looks extremely incomprehensible and does not correspond to reality. In addition, the Soviet secret services are constantly shown by the authors in an unsightly manner.

Take, for example, the famous story with the sailors of a self-propelled tank landing barge, which the authors of the film impudently distorted. It concerns an emergency that occurred in January 1960, when the ship was torn from its mooring by hurricane winds and carried into the open ocean without radio communication. On board this barge there were four conscripts: A. Ziganshin, F. Poplavsky, A. Kryuchkovsky and I. Fedotov. The drift lasted 49 days. In the most difficult conditions, the soldiers were able not only to survive, but also to maintain human dignity. When they were discovered by an American aircraft carrier, they were extremely exhausted and on the verge of life and death. The Americans were amazed that the Soviet soldiers, even in this state, retained their human appearance and self-discipline. The aircraft carrier delivered the rescued servicemen to San Francisco, where they were met by the Consul General of the USSR; a photograph of those rescued with him was published in those days in many newspapers across the country and placed on poster stands in cities of the USSR. The servicemen were then sent to New York, where they met with representatives of the Soviet embassy and spent a week relaxing at their dacha. N. Khrushchev sent them a government telegram, where he noted their courage and heroism. From New York they sailed to Europe, and then they were taken to Moscow. Upon returning home, they were given a gala reception, they were awarded the Order of the Red Star and became widely known.

And against the backdrop of these facts, the authors of this ill-fated series decided to show how the “evil” and “cruel” Soviet security officers were going to torture these guys and extract some testimony from them. And only thanks to Comrade Biryukov personally - this kind and sympathetic person, as well as young employees of the IAG, the “dastardly plan” of the Soviet special services was thwarted. The authors of the series decided to change the names of the characters. For what?! And instead of the truth, the picture that emerged was not only politically but also socially distorted.

Incredible events constantly happen to the main “characters”. Golub is preparing to join the party. And he asks to test his comrades on their knowledge of certain materials. But, apparently, the authors of the script are not aware that before becoming a member of the CPSU and receiving the coveted red book, you need to spend 1 year as a candidate member of the party. And it is precisely before admitting candidates that numerous and rigorous interviews are conducted. Has an exception been made for Golub? And anyway, why would he suddenly be accepted into the party, for some kind of merit? Just because the authors decided to build on this intrigue with the loss of their party card? Simply and easily…

Further, according to the storyline, the theft of Golub’s party card results in a situation where he cannot refuse to organize an exit visa for a person who, as a result, becomes a defector and a traitor to the Motherland. A very serious scandal, in connection with which all the accomplices of this event should have been thoroughly “cuffed in the horns.” Golub is arrested by the KGB on suspicion of committing at least an official crime. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the head of the 1st department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikolai Chernykh, appears and releases everything on the brakes, virtually without any consequences for both Golub himself and Biryukov, whom he slandered (and his explanation is just pale babble!), and at the same time the barmaid, riding on someone's ZIM right from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building (!). Golub is immediately released. Yes, they are not just released, but subsequently appointed head of the IAG! Although they should have immediately kicked him out of the party and from the Foreign Ministry. In general, fantastic nonsense! Unprecedented! I don’t think that it is within the competence of a representative of the state security agencies in this serious department to resolve this kind of scandal.

During Biryukov’s first meeting with Chernykh, it turns out that they studied together somewhere. I wonder where they studied together? It is known that Biryukov graduated from the Higher Party School. At the same time, Biryukov considers Chernykh a promising foreign intelligence officer, who should have already headed the KGB station in Great Britain. To which Chernykh replies that, they say, here he is, in his words, “among the pieces of paper,” that is, to put it mildly, he is doing “garbage” in the area of ​​counterintelligence. Counterintelligence support for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was handled by the Second Main Directorate of the KGB, which seconded its employees to the diplomatic department as active reserve officers. It is precisely this kind of employee that Chernykh is presented with. It should be noted that the first (regime-secret) departments in the Soviet departments were in charge of secret office work and the protection of top secret information from foreign intelligence services. Under their “roof”, as well as under personnel units, there were counterintelligence officers who conducted intelligence and operational work. As the film progresses, Chernykh demonstrates his work. Even in the first episode, it turns out that Ruta Karlovna is a secret agent and Chernykh’s mistress, with whom she holds intimate meetings in a “safe room” (more precisely, a safe house) apartment. However, when Shuiko spilled the beans, that is, he actually committed at least an official crime, she does not say anything to her curator at an emergency evening meeting with him, but instead asks only to withdraw her denunciation against Biryukov. Chernykh and his agents are doing great work! If his superiors at Lubyanka had found out about this, they wouldn’t have blown his head off and they would certainly have kicked him out of the Foreign Ministry. And in the film - “quiet and quiet.”

Further. A counterintelligence officer informs Chernykh that among the Americans who came to meet with IAG employees there is a “recruiter” from the CIA. But the head of the 1st department is somehow not particularly shaken by this fact. He's almost indifferent. Moreover, counterintelligence somehow reacts weakly to this fact! In reality, the entire meeting place would be surrounded by dense covert surveillance. And here they just “informed” their “roof cover”. Ha ha!

And who, as it turns out, is the CIA's interest directed at? It turns out that it’s the sailor Korneev! So he was already recruited during his stay abroad, long before working at the Foreign Ministry! What are the “white bones” of the intelligence services supposed to do there? It turns out that it’s just a matter of conveying the terms of the secret connection. So that means he’s a simple messenger, and not a recruiter at all! But suppose that, in fact, the CIA wants to restore contact with him after a long pause and sends a recruiter to check whether Korneev will cooperate with them, whether he has reported the recruitment to Soviet counterintelligence. But in this case, they would have to have at least one lengthy meeting, during which the recruiter could get at least some picture of the current state of their agent and his willingness to cooperate with the CIA. Instead, there is a very short contact and an unclear conversation, from which virtually nothing follows. And why should Korneev cooperate with them now? Because of the supposed “compromising evidence” with which an American intelligence officer used to scare the sailor? Hmm... Unconvincing. By the way, regarding the recruitment of Korneev. Why the devil would the CIA recruit some simple sailor? What good is it? For the long term? Possible, but unlikely. It is unlikely that he will be able to become someone in the USSR who is truly of intelligence interest. At the very least, in some minor roles.

As already mentioned, Vareinikov in the film is the head of the International Department of the CPSU Central Committee. The International Department was responsible for maintaining public and secret communication with left-wing (communist, socialist) parties that are not in power abroad, pro-communist and pro-Soviet international organizations, resistance movements, and friendship societies. During the period indicated in the film, this position was held continuously from 1955 to 1986 by B.N. Ponomarev, who among the leaders of the CPSU during the times of “stagnation” was distinguished by an outspoken anti-Stalinist position. In 1960, Ponomarev was not even the secretary of the CPSU Central Committee; he became one only in 1961, and in 1972 he was elected as a candidate member of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee. At the same time, the film shows the anti-Khrushchev conspiracy, which was actually led by the head of the Central Committee department and in which members of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee were involved. But the head of the department of the Central Committee could not and was not part of the Presidium, which later became known as the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee. How the “villain” Vareinikov and Ponomarev fit together is unclear.

At a minimum, the scene with the arrest by the security forces of the rebellious members of the Presidium of the Central Committee causes a smile. The authors of the film apparently have absolutely no idea how this could actually be or how it could even be so. As is known, there were conspiracies against Khrushchev in 1957 and 1964. The first attempt for the conspirators was unsuccessful. The second one ended with the demolition of Khrushchev. In the summer of 1957, by a majority vote (7:4) at a meeting of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee, Nikita Sergeevich was removed from the post of First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, and a collective proposal was being prepared for the plenum of the Central Committee on this decision. Nevertheless, at the second meeting of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee, which Khrushchev demanded to hold by calling on his supporters, he managed to change the balance of forces in his favor (13 versus 6). The failure of the conspiracy was largely facilitated by the fact that the Chairman of the KGB under the USSR Council of Ministers, Serov, was on Khrushchev’s side, and during the extraordinary plenum, the First Secretary of the Central Committee was supported by G.K. Zhukov, who rather transparently hinted at the possibility of using force. The sluggish, cautious position of Suslov, as well as Brezhnev, who avoided participation, also contributed. The plenum of the Central Committee declared the conspirators an “anti-party group” and expelled them from the top leadership of the party, and after some time from the ranks of the communists. Only Voroshilov and Bulganin, who took part in the conspiracy, by a happy coincidence and taking into account their deep repentance, escaped with a slight fright and retained their posts, and even then not for long.

I can't get past the cars that are shown in the film. At ZIM - in the 50s, a fairly high-level executive car - the “villain” Vareinikov was rolling out. Number 28-47 MOS. Such a high-ranking party official could hardly have such a number. The cars of the Central Committee Administration of the MOS series had numbers from 00-01 to 07-99. Next came the numbers of the UD of the Council of Ministers and the UD of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the RSFSR, regional party and Soviet organizations. And number 28-47 could only belong to a taxi company. It should be noted that in 1960, the heads of the Central Committee apparatus at his level had already moved to at least new “Seagulls” (especially since this party official was presented almost as a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee), and ZIMs began to be used, among other things, as taxis, and even private cars.

MOS numbers were strictly limited. Nevertheless, we see that some head of the 1st department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is driving around Moscow in a Volga with such an “untouchable” number. The number on Cherny’s car of the “MOS” series indicates that his car belongs to the garage of the CPSU Central Committee, and not to some other organization or individual. Indeed, Volgas with MOS license plates were used in their work by KGB officers, but only by the 9th Directorate, who were engaged in the personal security of high-ranking party officials. And he clearly didn’t belong to them. It is impossible not to mention the attempt to remove the Blacks through a car accident. The authors certainly have little idea how this could be done. But what is shown in the film goes far beyond common sense. The way the head-on collision was organized, it could not be carried out. Except that a heavy truck, like a jet fighter, dived sharply in front of the Volga's nose at the very moment when the driver turned away. Well, isn’t it nonsense... In addition, it is puzzling why Chernykh had a folder with denunciations in his car if he was heading with his son to his parents?

The random murder of German journalist Gabi in Berlin in a telephone booth. Border guards (or police) fire machine guns at the crowd in one direction, but for some reason the bullet flies in the opposite direction. Is that possible? Well, at least such mistakes could have been avoided!

And the ending of the last episode, where the “optimists” are given “carrots”, is absolutely killing. It is more or less clear and logical that Muratov was sent to the Congo. The appointment of Ruta Karlovna as Deputy Minister - this is where I want to think about it. But Korneev’s occupation of the chair previously occupied by Chernykh is completely out of the question. This couldn't happen because it could never happen. Under no circumstances. He has neither the appropriate education nor experience working in the special services. Even if he participated in a counterintelligence operation to expose the KIA. Although not a single word was said about this during the film. This is some kind of schizophrenia.

In general, I must say, the film, from which you expect some kind of youthful optimism - judging by its title, the novelty of the “thaw”, is replete with immoral actions of the heroes, betrayals, meanness, betrayal, conspiracies, fights in a pub. In passing, an attempt is made to murder a senior KGB officer involved in counterintelligence support for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And without the consequences that are inevitable in this case... Probably, against this background, driving a car in a “battered” state looks like the least evil. Is this really what a film should have been made about? Well then, why call the film “The Optimists”? They would call it “Scoundrels.” It would be more consistent with the texture presented by the authors.

Apparently, the authors decided to fantasize about this and came up with their own version of “real events.” But why? It turned out very unconvincing, even from the point of view of artistic intrigue. Well, there must be at least some logic and common sense when writing scripts! And it would be useful to read history books...

Psychologist's advice

Some advice from psychologists can help people who don’t know how to be optimistic:

Think positive thoughts. In most cases, people themselves program themselves for failure, allowing themselves to think in the following terms: “I will be unlucky again,” “it happened again,” “it will be like that time,” etc. The result of such thoughts is that people drive luck away from themselves, not believing in their luck

It is important not to forget that there are always several ways to achieve goals, so you should not deliberately think about the bad. It is easier to become an optimist if you perceive failures as an accident rather than a pattern. Communicate with positive people

Each person is influenced to a greater or lesser extent by his environment, to which he adapts. Indeed, it’s hard to think about good things if people around you talk about bad luck and complain. Negative emotions are transmitted faster than positive ones, so it is better to avoid communicating with people who spoil your mood. If you hear only bad things every day, then pessimism can develop into depression. Such a person should surround himself with people with a positive outlook on life, then not only his own attitude towards events will gradually change, but progress in personal affairs will also be noticeable, because optimistic people support each other and believe in the strength of their friends. Don't put yourself down. The basic rule of an optimist is that they leave themselves room for error. They understand that something bad can happen to anyone, and they just need to be able to find a way out. A pessimist will believe that only he is to blame for everything that happened. It is important for him to learn to believe in himself, praise and love himself. Then there will be an understanding that there is nothing terrible in his mistakes, he will begin to forgive himself for them. Listen to classical composers. The tendency of some people to evaluate events in dark colors largely depends on the coherence of the brain hemispheres. There are several techniques that help balance these processes. They turn to acupressure specialists and meditate. The easiest way is to listen to classical music. Scientists have long proven the beneficial effects of music on brain function.

One of the keys to positive thinking is to be surrounded by optimists.

Don't avoid making love. Abstinence from intimate life can negatively affect a person’s well-being and behavior. He will not be satisfied, women become insecure. While regular sex promotes the production of the happiness hormone, it strengthens the nervous system. Enjoy life. Often a bad mood is caused by a lack of goals and desires

Therefore, it is important to find a hobby for yourself, something you like that will bring you pleasure and interest you in its process. If your occupation causes negative emotions, you should try to change your job. Watch your diet

Mood is affected by the food a person eats daily. In order to feel good, they monitor the required daily calorie intake and ensure that the food is healthy. Lack of calories or junk food subsequently affects poor health.

There are advantages to being a pessimist, but experience shows that optimists become more successful and happier than others. Instead of sighing over the hardships of fate and looking with envy at positive people, you can reconsider your own attitude. It is possible to become an optimist; for this you need to work with your worldview.

Is optimism an innate or acquired condition?

Not everyone is born an optimist. Plus, family, upbringing, and environment influence worldview.

A person consciously chooses: to live in gloomy anticipation of troubles or to rejoice in all the good things that happen in life.

If nature has not endowed you with a love of life and a positive state of mind, the habit of rejoicing can be formed purposefully. Or at least adjust your attitude towards life to reduce the level of stress and its severe consequences.

Is it possible to learn optimism?

Such qualities as optimism and pessimism are not as rigidly defined as they seem. Optimism can be taught; this kind of work takes several weeks. The technique was developed and demonstrated the possibility of teaching optimism by Dr. Michael Moseley. During treatment for chronic insomnia, Michael Moseley underwent brain testing. It turned out that at rest the right hemisphere is 3 times more active than the left, this is typical for those people who constantly worry about daily events.

To correct the situation, brain training was carried out in the form of a game. On the monitor screen you had to find a joyful face among all the others, move the cursor and “click the mouse.” Additional meditations lasting up to 20 minutes were carried out to concentrate on one’s inner world, relieve tension and relax. A repeated study of the brain after training revealed that the difference in the activity of the hemispheres became less pronounced, and M. Moseley began to look at what was happening more positively.

Only the person himself can determine whether his glass is half full or half empty! Optimism is both a consequence and a cause of good health. Healthy people have a more optimistic outlook on life, and optimistic people are healthier. It depends on the person himself whether he can live his life long and happily, fully, and be healthy. And optimism, a positive attitude, faith in yourself and your strengths play an important role in this.

Warning.

Everything is good in moderation; optimism brought to the level of carelessness will lead to completely opposite results. Take care of yourself!

Many people mistakenly believe that optimists are people whose lives go smoothly and carefree. They are always cheerful and know neither sorrows nor problems. But it is not so. Such people simply have a special attitude towards any unpleasant situation and do not lose heart. What does the word optimist mean? How is he different from a pessimist? How to become an optimist?

Definitions

Optimism translated from the Latin optimus means “best.” This is a positive attitude towards life, reflecting faith and hope for a positive or desired outcome of any events.

Accordingly, an optimist is one who sees the positive sides in everything, looks at life with an open heart and always hopes for the best.

In contrast to this concept, the word “pessimism” is used. From Latin pessimus translates as “worst” and means a negative outlook on life.

A pessimist is a person who finds a reason for dissatisfaction and despondency in everything, always relies on a negative outcome and complains about life.

In simple words, optimism and pessimism are two sides of the same coin, two opposing views on the same conditions and circumstances.

About the advantages

Of course, there is no point in denying that optimism as a way of life has a number of huge advantages, including those directly related to human health and longevity.

• The body's recovery mechanisms are activated.
• Immunity is strengthened.
• Provides greater composure in stressful situations.
• The brain gets the necessary rest: after processing positive emotions, it gives the body the command to go into relaxation mode.

In addition, people who know how to see the bright side of a situation, as a rule, have many friends and acquaintances, while pessimistic individuals often suffer from loneliness.

Recent Western research shows that the predisposition to an optimistic or pessimistic view of the world depends on heredity. So, the question “How to learn optimism?” Is it pointless to ask? No! After all, any predisposition can be developed in the same way as it can be combated.

Consider the behavior of young children. From birth, all of them show signs of optimism: they smile, are eager to communicate, and continuously explore new things, despite the fact that they are constantly faced with failures. However, expert data show that in about a quarter of children these signs are more pronounced than in others. The remaining three-quarters have less chance of becoming optimists.

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However, a less pronounced tendency towards optimism (but not completely absent!) can be developed with the help of education. How? First of all, you need to encourage the child’s desire to learn new things and praise him for his achievements. Magic phrases like “You can do it!” or “You did it, you’re so great!” capable of performing miracles.

If a failure occurs, you need to understand its reasons and try to apply this experience in the future. An individual approach is important: if it is clear that a certain task is clearly beyond the child’s ability (or is not of interest), you should not expect super-high results from him. Setting the bar too high will only lead to feelings of deep dissatisfaction with yourself.

But what should adults do? How can they learn to be optimistic? Here you can recall the well-known formulation: “If you want to be happy, be it!” The same goes for optimism: starting from tomorrow, try to perceive the world as if you were already an optimist.

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You can start with a simple exercise: before going to bed, remember several pleasant events that happened during the day.

Even the little ones: sunny weather, a polite salesman in the store... Gradually, attention to the good will become a habit, and inexhaustible optimism will become a constant companion.

Benefits of a Positive Outlook

Why is optimism better than pessimism?

US psychologist Bernard Weiner became interested in the fact that some people, experiencing failures, retreat from their goals, while others struggle with obstacles. The scientist revealed a direct dependence of the desire or lack thereof to continue the fight on a person’s vision of the reasons for his successes and failures.

It turned out that the children who participated in the experiments are excellent students at school and see the reason for their achievements as a result of their abilities. Omissions are explained by a lack of perseverance. Another group of children, who did worse in school, blamed their success on easy tasks or simply luck. Unsuccessful moments were attributed to lack of ability.

Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Martin Seligman, studied this problem through the manifestation of depression. His father was paralyzed and the search began for an answer to the question of the changes that had occurred. When the father fell from a cheerful, balanced state into a complete loss of interest in life.

After experimental work, Seligman identified “learned helplessness in animals and humans.” The subjects, being under the influence of unpleasant circumstances for a certain time, begin to realize the futility of resistance and retreat. Further, even if they have a way out of an emergency situation, they do nothing.

After the results of the study, Martin Seligman questioned the optimistic style of thinking. Is there such a possibility?

The answer was positive psychology. Psychology is based on an “explanatory style.” Seligman's definition refers to a person's way of explaining the reasons for what is happening. At a stressful moment, it depends on the style of explanation whether an individual will choose to fight or go with the flow.

The pessimistic description of negative facts is explained by personal, universal data (“This can only happen to me, it always happens and there is no way to change it”). Positive facts are explained by chance, external temporary reasons.

The optimistic style explains negative facts by external, random reasons (“It will pass soon, it just happened”), and positive ones by properties inherent in the individual, ability.

Optimism is not a life without negative emotions, but a qualitatively different idea of ​​life. An optimist believes that he can change his reality and everything depends on him. He does not try to keep everything under control, he actively moves towards achieving his goals. Obstacles along the way are characterized as the influence of external factors.

Research by scientists has led to interesting facts: optimists have stronger immunity, recover faster after operations, live longer and are less likely to suffer from mental illness. They communicate with friends more often and move up the career ladder at work faster. They have higher satisfaction with their personal lives and are more likely to generate creative ideas.

Who is an optimist

An optimist... - it is generally accepted that this is a person who never loses heart. He is happy about everything, nothing can spoil his mood, and he doesn’t even care about the rain, just at the time when he forgot his umbrella. But actually it is not.

First of all, an optimist is a person who firmly believes that everything is for the better. Being an optimist does not mean being always cheerful; being an optimist means believing in the future.

An optimist looks at everything with hope, tries to find positive aspects, to turn the situation around for himself so as to see something good in it. It is this attitude towards life that protects him from unnecessary stress, anxiety and depression. An optimist, unlike a pessimist, does not create tragedies. He breathes smoothly and solves problems.

Optimists, as opposed to pessimists, look at any situation in perspective. Not from the point of view of “what have I lost because of this”, but from the point of view of “what can I gain”. No, this is not a naive view of the world, it’s just that optimists have a firm understanding that everything passes.

Optimists notice the little things. And if someone feels like there is nothing to be happy about because the overall picture is depressing, an optimistic person will find something to cling to to turn the bad into good.

An optimist is not afraid of obstacles. Not because he is fearless, he is okay with fear, but he regards the obstacle as another test, before which he will in no way give up, but will emerge victorious.

Optimists attract people and are valued as friends. Everyone enjoys having someone who will cheer you up and find the positives even in the most hopeless situation.

Such people send positive energy into the world, they do not become discouraged, and even if they do, it does not last for long, so they attract people to themselves.

Optimists are not afraid to take risks. They will not jump headlong into the pool without thinking everything through, but if they feel that luck may await them, they will not miss the chance.

An optimist always rises. He (she), like most people, can sometimes doubt his success, but this state does not last long for an optimistic person; he quickly forces himself to comb his hair, smile and move forward again. Not out of inertia, but with faith that this path will lead somewhere.

An optimist does not allow himself to show others that he is upset. And this is not isolation, he just believes that it is dishonest to take out his negative feelings on others. Therefore, he tries to cope with them, if they appear, alone. As a rule, he succeeds quickly.

An optimist is not a flighty person who sees only the good in everything.

Being an optimist is a lot of work; it manifests itself primarily in faith in life. After all, he, like any other person, is upset by failures

It’s just that every time he finds the strength not to focus his attention and thoughts on them

An optimist has his own special psychology, a solid philosophy, the main dogma of which is that everything in this world happens for good. And even if this benefit is hard to see now, it still exists, which means you shouldn’t despair.

It is much easier for an optimist to control the situation; he does not panic or fuss. His position in life allows him not to succumb to emotions and calmly manage circumstances as much as possible.

An optimist does not rely on luck; he creates his own success.

An optimist knows how to “turn over a leaf.” He tries not to drag failure into a new day and regards every morning as another chance to change something.

An optimist, first of all, draws energy from the moment, from every moment. For him, reality is exactly what is here and now. He knows that the past is already in the past, and the future is just coming. Therefore, he tries to perceive every second more fully, to merge with it, so that, drawing opportunities and strength from the present, he can create his future.

Advantages and disadvantages of pessimists

Since pessimism is traditionally associated with negative qualities, let's start with the negatives:

• predominance of negative emotions;
• quarrelsomeness, conflict;
• frequent complaints and dissatisfaction, tediousness;
• shifting blame and responsibility to others;
• lack of determination;
• high susceptibility to stress;
• hypochondria.

As a result, such people usually have very few friends. Due to the fact that a pessimist is most often negative and talks about problems and shortcomings, it is very difficult to discern an interesting interlocutor in him.

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At the same time, this type of attitude also has positive aspects:

1. A pessimist is always ready for undesirable scenarios, and therefore often calculates his every step, weighing the pros and cons. He does not rush headlong into the pool and looks at life more pragmatically than an inveterate optimist.
2. A person who is determined to fail will not panic or be upset if his predictions come true. Less hope means less disappointment.
3. He is less likely to find himself in dangerous and unpleasant situations, because he does not trust strangers and shows increased vigilance and caution. A pessimist will not go on a trip without a first aid kit, will not leave home without an umbrella when clouds are gathering in the sky, and will not go to play in a casino, predicting his loss in advance.
4. At the slightest discomfort, such a person will most likely immediately go to the doctor, which will help recognize the disease at an early stage and prevent the development of the disease.

Interesting fact. The teachings of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer were often called the philosophy of universal pessimism. He believed that life was given not for happiness, but for suffering. It is he who owns the phrase “This world is the worst possible.” Another thinker, Eduard von Hartmann, was also a supporter of his pessimistic philosophy.

What's good about optimism?

It is pleasant to communicate with cheerful, life-loving people; they charge us with energy and push us to new achievements. Optimists are more energetic, proactive, less likely to succumb to depression, and associate the success achieved with their qualities and personal efforts. Optimism helps in innovation. With an optimist it is easy to try new things and take risks. Most likely, it is an optimist who will offer you to play gambling, for example, on the site https://slotsbookofra2.com/. For an optimist, such gambling is a real pleasure, because even in a loss he will find the good side and learn a lesson.

Self-confidence or rose-colored glasses

These days, so-called positive thinking is actively promoted. We are told to smile no matter what happens, to look for something good in any situation, even when things are at their worst, and not to talk about our problems so that others think that everything is fine with us...

In certain situations this works. Positive thinking helps us gain strength and believe in ourselves. For example, if he doesn’t get into university, an optimist will say to himself: “Well, no luck this time - better luck next time!” He will work hard even if things don't work out because he is convinced that success is achievable.

Optimists behave in the same way in their personal lives. They won't be too upset about not being reciprocated and will simply look for another relationship. Or they will try to win the person they are in love with. And such a strategy often brings results. Finally, positive people have the ability to attract us to themselves, and this is a very valuable quality.

At the same time, optimists tend to look at the world through “rose-colored glasses” and this causes big problems. It is precisely such people who often fall for scammers - it simply does not occur to them that someone could commit a bad act. They are carefree and usually do not save for old age or a rainy day.

In addition, they tend to take out loans that they then cannot pay off, invest money in financial pyramids and various dubious projects

Caution is not at all characteristic of them

Optimists rarely think about possible difficulties. They can brush off the problem until it becomes a real problem, and they let everything take its course.

Optimists do not like to go to the doctor, because they are sure that they cannot get sick with anything serious. And therefore, their diseases are often discovered in an already advanced state.

Love more than you fear

Principle #4: An optimist lives and works out of love, not fear.

There is a universal truth: you can act and live your life from a fear-based belief system or from a love-based belief system. Live in fear and you will experience limitations associated with resentment, arrogance, insecurity and greed. Live in love and you will discover an abundance of courage, confidence, fortitude and generosity.

Inaction, stagnation, and acting as if the world owes you something are rooted in fear. Action, growth, self-compassion and kindness are rooted in love. Fast living and haste is a way of life born out of fear. Live slowly and respect the process out of love.

To love more than you fear means to make room for poetic mistakes in your life. It's taking yourself a little less seriously and laughing a little more. Doing something for the sake of true joy, and not for the sake of probable reward. It’s facing failure and thinking, “So what? I failed and now I'm much closer to success than ever before."

One of Nelson Mandela's quotes:

“What matters in life is not what we lived. How we make a difference in the lives of others will determine the meaning of the lives we lead.”

To make a difference in the lives of others, we must first learn to love fearlessly. We must remind ourselves that we are Beings trying to make sense of this human experience. And all that matters at the end of this journey is not what you achieved. It was about how much you loved yourself, how much you loved the people who walked this path with you, and how freely you gave to them.

All that matters at the end of this journey is how deeply you have touched the souls of those around you through your actions and creations. But, of course, you cannot touch someone with fear, but only with the light of fearless love.

Is it possible to train optimism?

“In my experience, optimism is both a personality trait and a product of our environment,” says psychotherapist Carole Ward. Her opinion is supported by research that says optimism is about 25% heritable. There are other factors beyond our control, such as the socioeconomic conditions of childhood or upbringing. But there is still a little space left in our brain into which we can put optimism with our own hands.

Many experts agree with this statement. “Previous research has shown that optimism can be changed with relatively simple and inexpensive interventions—even something as simple as journaling about the best possible outcomes for different areas of your life, such as your career or friendships,” said Caitlin Hagan, postdoctoral researcher. Harvard University.

“Optimism can definitely be a learned trait,” agreed professor Aparna Iyer, who says she works with many clients to cultivate a more optimistic outlook. “Just because you've been a pessimist most of your life doesn't mean you're destined to always be one. In fact, there are many effective ways to adopt an optimistic mindset.”

Next we will talk about several such methods.

Focus on yourself

Principle #3: An optimist does not obsess over what he cannot control. An optimist focuses only on what he can influence - himself.

• You don't control people's opinions of you.
• You have no control over the weather and natural disasters.
• You don't control the global economy.
• You have no control over what other people decide to do.

However, you can control how you respond to all of the above. How do you react when someone is playing a status game with you? How do you distance yourself from people who don't share the same values ​​as you.

In other words, what you control is you. Your opinions, aspirations, habits and actions you take. Your mind and the way you think. What you can control and change is who you are as a whole. Trying to control or change anything outside of this realm only leads to more anxiety, anguish and frustration - you will cause a storm and drown in it.

Optimism is based on the fundamental belief that whenever we are faced with a situation that causes suffering, we have two options at our disposal. We can change the current situation, or change our attitude towards it, by first changing the way we interpret it. And the only way to do this is to learn to focus only on what you can control.

As the Roman and Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote in A Guide to Life:

“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: some things are under our control, and some are not. The main task in life is simply this: to identify and separate things so that I can clearly tell myself which external ones are not under my control, and which have to do with the choices that I actually control. Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. This is achieved by ignoring things that are beyond our control."

This last line is crucial: master yourself and you will become the master of your life.

RULE 1. Dreaming is not harmful

Even so, dreaming is useful! After all, dreams tend to come true. They inspire us and give us strength. But do not confuse dreams with illusions! A dream that will certainly come true is a passionate desire to achieve what you want, and not just philosophizing on the topic “wouldn’t it be nice if…”. Desiring something with all our being, we begin to look for ways to achieve the goal, noticing and using the opportunities that life provides us for this. You can lament for a long time about what you don’t like in your life, but this rarely leads to changes for the better. It's much better to focus on what you want and try to make it come true. An optimist believes that his future will be happy, and dreams help him bring this happy tomorrow closer. Remember that optimists have dreams come true, while pessimists have nightmares.

Definition and psychology

What is optimism?

Optimism is a view of reality, life and events, suggesting confidence in a better future and a positive outcome of difficult situations.

Optimists see the world as a certain form of perfection and goodness, on the basis of which they can realize all their dreams and desires.

Optimism can be blind and realistic. In the first case, faith in the positive nature of people and the world stems from an unwillingness to see the opposite.

In the second case, a person is simply ready to deal with difficulties and take advantage of the opportunities that the current moment gives him.

What's wrong with such a state as pessimism?

Communication with such people is very annoying, their eternal complaints and constant doubts are disgusting. Pessimists will almost always give up in a difficult life situation, and the achievements that occur can be attributed to a lucky coincidence of circumstances. A bad mood contributes to the development of bad habits.

Two different views: some are always dissatisfied with something, others always see a way out of the situation. The point here is not even what a person has in the present, but how he evaluates it for himself, his subjective opinion. Who we are: pessimists or optimists is the result of hereditary predisposition, upbringing, experience, internal attitudes. But personally, it seems to me that being an optimist is still better. Hormones of joy - endorphins, are produced when you feel happy, which is very beneficial for health. In difficult situations, pessimistic people are more likely to give up and fall into deep depression.

Is there a golden mean

Both optimism and pessimism represent a distorted perception of reality. Both types of people see the world differently from what it really is. The difference is that a pessimist sees only the bad, not noticing the good. An optimist, on the contrary, focuses on one positive, without distinguishing between risks.

Neither of them sees the full picture, creating a one-sided view in their heads. This is the same as always using only your left hand, considering the right hand unsuitable for your personal worldview or desires.

But in addition to the two extremes, there is also a so-called golden mean. This is the third type of worldview, which is endowed with the most optimal outlook on life. It's called realism.

A realist sees the situation as a whole: both the good and the bad, without ignoring or masking anything. He knows that the world is multifaceted and can present both pleasant surprises and obstacles. Such a person does not console himself with the phrase “Tomorrow will definitely be better,” but he also does not spoil his mood with thoughts about possible troubles that may not happen.

He objectively evaluates circumstances, people, himself and his capabilities, makes decisions based on the real state of affairs and prefers his own type of reaction to events.

Who is an optimist and how does he behave?

Optimists develop a characteristic behavior in life. It distinguishes them from other people and is the basis of their lives. We will tell you about these qualities.

Distinctive Traits of Optimists

1. according to their psychotype, they are, as a rule, sanguine - people with an active life position, sober-minded, positive always and in everything;
2. they are always mentally balanced and able to think analytically;
3. optimists are always tuned to a positive outcome of events;
4. If any problem occurs, even one of the most difficult in life, an optimist does not give up. At the same time, he does not put on rose-colored glasses and will not demonstrate his attitude where it is not appropriate. For example, an optimist will not convince everyone at a funeral that life goes on, it is beautiful, and so on. He is capable of regret, sadness and crying like most ordinary people.

The virtues of optimists

Is it good to be an optimist, you ask? But there is no exact answer to this question. If you read the qualities that we talked about above, you can conclude that being an optimist is a good character trait. He does not look at the world through rose-colored glasses, but tries not to lose his positive attitude even in the most difficult life situations. He may doubt, but he never whines. This undoubtedly helps in life not to give up and make the right choice.

And also - scientists have proven that those people who are always positive are less likely to get sick. After all, pessimism certainly leads to fear, bad mood and stress. And as a result of stress, a variety of health problems arise, including diseases of the cardiovascular system. An optimist has a higher level of happiness hormones in his blood, which will prevent him from getting sick.

Since we have figured out that optimism in a person is good, let’s talk about how to become an optimist. After all, this quality is not inherent in nature; it needs to be developed. And it is possible.

Why does optimism matter?

Optimism is important because it motivates. This motivational factor affects us physically.

Optimistic people have a positive attitude towards the events of everyday life. Studies conducted from this perspective have found positive correlations between optimism and physical/mental well-being.

How does optimism affect health?

It is believed that optimists live longer. Optimistic people have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. They are less likely to have strokes or die from a heart attack. People who are optimistic tend to lead healthier lifestyles. For example, eating fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, etc. Optimistic people have defensive attitudes, are resistant to stress, and tend to use more appropriate coping strategies.

Optimism is also associated with happy romantic relationships and a reduced likelihood of cognitive impairment. An optimistic person tends to work harder, expect to retire later, and save more money.