Do you know somebody that sees life through rose-colored glasses? Realists use that term negatively as if to say that "those people" live life in denial. At least that's how I thought at one time. I have always considered myself a realist and fortunately I've realized that's not necessarily a good thing.Reality isn't always what it seems. A long time ago, reality was that birds flew and man didn't. The Wright brothers changed that reality. There was a time when people talked to somebody nearby them and reality was that you couldn't talk to somebody across town or across the world, but Alexander Graham Bell changed that. Being a realist sounds pretty limiting to me.
How do you see bad events in life?
Optimist: I had an argument with my son because he was in a bad mood.
Pessimist: I never get along with my son. We are totally different and never understand each other.
Optimist: I've never taken any computer classes because the subject doesn't interest me.
Pessimist: I'm stupid when it comes to computers and am too old to learn that stuff.
Optimist: Others have been healed of this life-threatening disease, so I will redesign my life for healing also.
Pessimist: My life is over. I'll never get to do what I wanted to do.
How do you see good events in life?
Optimist: I wake up looking for the good in my day and always get it.
Pessimist: I just got lucky. Nothing good ever happens to me, so something bad is on the way now.
Optimist: Getting that raise will help to make things a bit better at home with the finances.
Pessimist: That raise won't change the situation at home. My family is a mess and nothing will help.
Optimist: My vacation is going to be such a grand time of enjoyment and refreshment.
Pessimist: Things begin going wrong on the first day of every vacation we take. That's my life!
What we think determines where we are. The Bible said that "we will always have the poor." I have read that those who think poorly will be poor. Those who have hope for the future and dreams of their purpose cannot be held back no matter what financial environment they were born into. We've all read enough of those amazing stories. Are they really amazing? It's all about choosing thoughts and what we believe about ourselves and the world around us.
What are you believing about today and the circumstances in your life right now? Write down five statements about the circumstances in your life right now. Then turn those statements around to an optimistic viewpoint. How does it make you feel to think and speak differently about your negative circumstances? What kind of person would you be ... and what kind of world would you build for yourself ... if you were to think those positive thoughts until you actually believed them? Would you like to become that person? The process begins with one healing thought at a time.
The Bible tells us how to do this in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Rosy is so much prettier, peaceful and joyful than black.
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