Optimism /Pessimism

Do you feel one or the other can be learned or do you feel we're born the way we are & that's that.

I know Dale Carnegie from decades ago wrote some great books, one being How To Stop Worrying & Start Living.

Books are great & can help for awhile but then it seems you go back the way you were.

Anyone on here actually, really, truly believe you 'can' change?

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

Really don't know gal - all the people I know that are pessimists have stayed that way.
My glass is half full - rather than half empty and I haven't a clue why, just don't like being down and dwelling on things I guess .......

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

I was optimistic when I was younger, but life has shown me that the worst case scenario is usually the prevailing one.

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

I believe we are born the way we are, but life events can change our way of thinking.

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

I think if you are born with badness in you and you don't get it out of your system by the time you are an adult then you will stay bad for the rest of your days, that had been my experience with a lot of people I've known over the years. Although I've seen good kids become bad adults but that was mainly because they hung around with bad company. I have never been influenced by "How to" books, it's only some other geezer giving his version of things and getting paid for it.

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

I believe life changes us all we can start out one way and very much be changed by circumstances, may eventually change again.

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

I suspect by the time you are about 25 you are fixed in your ways. Some people may change but not many, if anything you will get more optimistic or more pessimistic with time but you won't switch from one to the other.

For myself I am always optimistic but I like logic and science so if a glass is only half full then it was made too bloody big to start off with.

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

it needs filling up pronto!

There, fixed that for you!

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

Is this a wine glass, a goblet, a juice glass or a shot glass?

Re: Optimism /Pessimism

Depends on the degree of your optimism/pessimism