Hope: The Importance Of Optimism

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If someone has ever been in a bad state of mind or faced with a hard decision, they know that it is hard to stay positive. It’s usually easier said than done, but having an optimistic mindset can benefit many areas of someone’s life. Throughout history, especially during times of war, there have been multiple people that stood out because of their positive attitude. Winston Churchill is one of those people, shown in “Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat” (Churchill). Another great example of someone with an optimistic mindset is Anne Frank in “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” (Frank). An optimistic mindset can help a person cope during times of hardships and times of stress, bring down levels of depression, and help keep a person’s psychological …show more content…

Having a positive outlook on the situation can help a person get through the tough time. But “Sitting in the midst of a crisis with a blank smile on your face, repeating ‘It’s going to be fine’ is not positive thinking -- that’s unrealistic” (DiNenna). Having a positive attitude isn’t denying the problems around you, but thinking of the best possible outcome for each situation. Positive thinking is believing that something good can come out of even the worst situations. “Better coping with hardships and stress” (Mayo Foundation) is one of many benefits of being optimistic, especially when faced with struggles. When hoping for the best, it makes a person start to notice all the things that are going right and all that there is to be thankful for. Usually in a time of conflict people tend to look at the unpleasant side of things. For example, Anne Frank faces adversity with a very cheerful attitude. After plastering pictures onto her wall she says, “It looks much more cheerful. When the Van Daans arrive, we’ll be able to build cupboards and other odds and ends out of the wood piled in the attic” (Frank). This shows how that even though they were in hiding and her life would never be the same, she still looked on the bright side of things to make the most out of the situation. Just by the tone she uses in her diary, you can tell that she isn’t stressed about the condition of her family, but is looking forward to what …show more content…

“Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat.” Studysync: Reading & Writing Companion, BookheadEd Learning, LLC, 2015. DiNenna, Amber. “Positive Thinking Helps through Difficult Times.” Better Living, Better Living, 1 June 2011, www.betterliving.com/2011/06/01/positive-thinking-helps-through-difficult-times/. Foundation, Mayo. “How to Stop Negative Self-Talk.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Feb. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950. Frank, Anne. “Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl.” Studysync: Reading & Writing Companion, BookheadEd Learning, LLC, 2015. Juneja, Prachi. “MSG Management Study Guide.” Role of Attitude in Conflict Management, MSG Presentations, 2018,