Bad can be good~

Every yin always has it's yang. Same goes to our beliefs that germs is bad for us. Turns out, they can be good for us. UV rays used to treat some skin conditions nowadays, which previously stated that it is bad for our skin.

Same goes to pessimism. It can be good as, or even better than the consistently optimist one. But add the word 'defensive' in front. Defensive Pessimist. And that will be the one.

Being known as a pessimist is a no for us. All of us thriving of being so called 'Optimist'. The pessimist will pick the half empty, while the optimist would choose the half full. But now, I'm not talking about a general disposition to see a glass half empty. Lets take a look from a different standpoint now.

What exactly is Defensive Pessimism?

It is a strategy used in specific situations to manage anxiety, fears, and worry. How? When facing a pressured situation, these pessimist will prepare themselves by setting low expectations for themselves. In the meantime, they will have the urge to make a detailed assessment of everything which might go wrong. Once they imagined the full range of bad outcomes, they'll eventually start to figure out how to handle things out, and that gives them the sense of control.

"What's intriguing about defensive pessimists, is that they tend to be very successful people, and so their low opinion of the outcome isn't realistic; they use it to motivate themselves to perform better. They use 'defensive pessimism' as a tool to work through all the possibilities so they prepared for everything, even failure. And if they do fail, they are ready for it, so it's not so catastrophic."

---Lawrence Sanna, PhD, professor of psychology at University of North Carolina

Well, do you think you're a defensive pessimist? I think I've already turned to be one of them since here in Egypt. Too many things have change, and thanks God for letting me see things through many different ways. Experiencing the bad isn't bad at all. It is a tool for me to build a better new me.

Till then. The time is ticking, another exam is waiting. Wish me luck~

Source: Oprah.com