How optimistic/pessimistic are you?

One of my friends on Twitter and now Facebook, Jeena R Papaadi put an update on Facebook stating, "Optimism is like a spoilt child, who shoves food away when we try to spoon-feed it, remains defiant and refuses to grow despite our best efforts. Pessimism, on the other hand, is well-nourished, takes care of itself and grows at the speed of light."

[SUBSCRIBE TO MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER ON SUBSTACK]

[Source: Pexels]

All my life, I've been an optimist even in the most trying circumstances. I've developed it as an armor against all the struggles, tests and trials of life at every point. While I believe it has helped me grow, Jeena's point interested me that pessimism is well-nourished, takes care of itself and grows at the speed of life.

Another friend Shalini Puthiyedam stated in response, "Okies...coz I think this failing to say "I can" is a problem with perfectionists. :) Always tend to feel it is not the best result. So many a time I feel it is more perfectionism than pessimism that impedes progress."

[READ: 2020, I can never forget you!]

That perspective from Shalini brought me a kind of new perspective to the topic. The fun part of being on Facebook is that these discussions happen real time and one gets an idea of how different people from one's own circle feel about these things based on their own experiences in life. Shalini's point hit home, so to speak. Why?

I've been writing poetry, short stories and novels from the age of five. My parents always encouraged me. I have many publisher-friends who keep telling me to send in my work. I never do. I collect my works, keep them with me, read them on and off but I don't send it to any publisher because I feel it's not yet 'perfect.' I keep striving for perfection to be applied to something I am intent on bringing out into the world. I cannot simply let go believing it has a destiny of its own. [READ: Why I stopped writing poetry]

Shalini's observation on Jeena's update on optimism and pessimism is that it isn't pessimism that impedes progress, it is perfection. In my case, I'm bound to agree.

Tell me your thoughts on this.

[SUBSCRIBE TO MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER ON SUBSTACK]

Comments

Jeena R Papaadi said…

Yes indeed, the overlap of perfectionism and pessimism was a new thought for me too! Thanks to Shalini for bringing it up.

February 5, 2012 at 3:21 PM

Most LOVED Posts

Saree Woes 2

Our earlier discussion on Saree Woes really perked up my spirits. A big thanks to all of you for pepping me up. Okay, here's the good news. There was an unexpected late night party that I had to attend in Gurgaon. To be honest, I haven't had the time or energy to attend any such parties after Adi was born. I was sure I wouldn't have the confidence to make conversation with the glitterati, let alone feel confident to carry off wearing a saree. This is one of those parties where you have to be dressed very formally. Well, at the end of a working woman's day, you hardly feel ready to attend one of these parties looking like a moron, right? So, with very little preparation and very few hours left, I called on all the gods in Heaven to help me look a little younger and prettier since I don't have the magic to look young all on my own. Although I was tempted to wear one of my awesome Kancheevaram treasures, I knew it would be very difficult to drape it without any h...

Thank You for the Kreativ Award

Lord, thank you for your love and grace in every moment of my life and for finding me worthy of this award. A big thanks to Nivedita for this Award. I don't know if I deserve it but you make me feel that I do. You, the reader, helped me improve through every post. Your feedback and suggestions motivated me to write in the only manner that I know: from the heart. Thank you all for the love and patience. A big thanks to all my Twitter friends who have placed their trust in me and humbled me with their overwhelming support, friendship and acts of kindness. As the rules for accepting this blog award make it necessary for me to share 7 facts about myself, here we go: 1. Kochi is my favorite city. It's in my soul 24X7. 2. I dislike certain traits in people such as dishonesty/corruption, boasting, constantly finding fault or being judgmental about others to camouflage their own faults, leading purposeless but extravagant lifestyles and taking advantage of friendships for wrong...

What's Your Favorite Cake?

Khan Market is one of my favorite places, not only because it is a place where stories can be plucked from people's conversations and mannerisms but this is an amazing hub for food lovers. You can find all types of food that is sure to appeal to your sense of taste. Here is a yummy walnut cake from Sugar&Spice. From the moment you enter their store, you will find yourself bumping into either foreigners looking through different types of cheese (Belgian, French, Danish etc) or Indians who pretend to be just like the foreigners wearing those outrageously expensive 'phoren' perfumes and even sounding like them! God, when will we learn to respect being us, I really don't know, but I couldn't resist this walnut cake. It has a slightly nutty flavors and isn't all that sweet but if you like tasting exotic stuff, this one's for you so have it! What's your favorite cake? Do you make it or buy it? Tell me all about it.

5 Things That Make me Cry

1. Memories (some hurt, some soothe and some teach in a way it can never be replicated) 2. Demise of a specially loved one. [Read: Old Souls, Going Back Home] 3. Being away from my parents. 4. A truly bliss filled moment. 5. Listening to my favorite songs by my dearest Dasettan. (Dr. K.J Yeshudas). [READ: Remembering Ammumma and Watch Padmarajan's Films ] I've shared mine. Tell me yours .

Down Under

Some days are terrible to live through. If you ask me, what happened, did something go wrong? I wouldn't know what to say because nothing did go wrong.I did my daily chores with better attention than usual. I cleared a lot of junk that had piled up around me and I managed to do my prayers on time too. Funny thing is, I just felt very negative and down under today. Out of the blue, some of my life's most depressing moments flashed before my eyes as though I was watching a movie. That made me feel like a total loser because I could clearly see many evident mistakes that I had failed to learn from at that point of time or even afterward. This higher awareness of what I missed seeing clearly brought me down like anything and I can't begin to explain the throbbing headache that resulted in. I felt like a complete nervous wreck by the end of the day. There are so many friends who are a part of my life so I thought of someone I could just call and talk with. The strangest thing w...

Petals!

Search This Blog