Or….
Sometimes you just need someone else to see it for you.
Pessimists need optimists. (And I’m thinking the converse is true, too… more on that later.) I need the optimists in my life as counterbalance to my natural pessimism. In many ways, I think this is the ministry of the Body: that what my eyes don’t naturally see, another’s do. Twice in the last couple of weeks I’ve been the beneficiary of my friends’ perspectives:
- Pessimist (me): “I’m a little bummed. Only thirty ladies signed up for my Bible study. About 50 signed up for the other one currently being offered.” (Subtext: they must not like me.)
- Optimist (Julie): “Or, you could rejoice that 80 women are studying the Bible this fall…”
- Pessimist (me): “Hardly any women approached me for conversation after the last talk. I must not have seemed accessible or connected with them.”
- Optimist (Daria): “Or, maybe they just didn’t need to talk to you. No need to assume it was something about you.”
It flat-out never occurred to me to see either of these situations differently than I instinctively did. And that’s the point: my instincts aren’t always right. I’m in the process of re-training my brain (hopefully), but will likely always need the buoy of others so help me along the way.
[Tweet “Contrasting temperaments are part of the ministry of the Body of Christ. #thinkonthesethings #write31days”]
How do your optimists help you? Or, if you’re an optimist, how do the pessimists in your life bring you counterbalance? I’d love to hear from you!
This post is part of a 31 day series entitled “Think on these things: Learning optimism.” For a full catalog of all the posts, visit the first page in the series by clicking here.
I’m an optimist and I find that my husband’s more pessimistic thinking helps me to be more realistic. The sad truth is that the world doesn’t work the way I think it should and I need that dose of realism to protect myself.
Thanks, Margot! You pointed out such a valuable role that we pessimists play in the lives of our beloved optimists! Glad you’ve got a good one. 🙂
I’m an optimist and I find that my husband’s more pessimistic thinking helps me to be more realistic. The sad truth is that the world doesn’t work the way I think it should and I need that dose of realism to protect myself.
Thanks, Margot! You pointed out such a valuable role that we pessimists play in the lives of our beloved optimists! Glad you’ve got a good one. 🙂
I’m an optimist and I find that my husband’s more pessimistic thinking helps me to be more realistic. The sad truth is that the world doesn’t work the way I think it should and I need that dose of realism to protect myself.
Thanks, Margot! You pointed out such a valuable role that we pessimists play in the lives of our beloved optimists! Glad you’ve got a good one. 🙂
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It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
You’ll appreciate tomorrow’s post even more, then, Susan. Please don’t ignore us! 🙁
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
It’s interesting, Kirsten — I never really thought about the value of a pessimist in my life and I tend to ignore them! But you’ve given me something to ponder… thank you!
You’ll appreciate tomorrow’s post even more, then, Susan. Please don’t ignore us! 🙁