The surprising upside of pessimism
<p>Are you an optimist or a pessimist? You might proudly identify yourself with the former, but few would like to admit to seeing the world glass half-empty. Nobody wants to be the “Eeyore” in life, the grumpy, depressive downer who constantly imagines the worst-case scenario in every situation.</p>
<p>But what if a pessimistic outlook to life is a good thing? As philosopher Alain de Botton suggests in the video above, pessimism is actually the origin of wisdom – and can even leave us feeling surprisingly cheerful. Perhaps that’s not so surprising considering pessimists have lower expectations of life, protecting them from the disappointments that will come. That doesn’t mean you need to become a Grinch to benefit from pessimist, learn how to be a good pessimist above.</p>
<p>Do you think there’s an upside to being a pessimist? Share your experience with us in the comments below.</p>
<p><em>Video source: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7IcJI8PUf5Z3zKxnZvTBog" target="_blank">The School of Life</a></strong></span></em></p>
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