Can We Change the Course of the Life of a Pessimist? - By: Amelia Johnson

To change the course of the life of a pessimist, we would have to change their belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good. A pessimist has a tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view. "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties" said Harry S. Truman.

A pessimist is like a man who looks on the sun only as a thing that casts a shadow. In Pepys's "Diary" we learn the difference between "eyes shut and ears open," and "ears shut and eyes open." In going from John o' Groat's House to Land's End, a blind man would hear that the country was going to destruction, but a deaf man with eyes open could see great prosperity. Helen Keller is quoted as saying, "No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit." Helen Keller had the will to change the course of her life when it looked bleak to others.

Who are the "lemon squeezers of society"? They are people who predict evil, extinguish hope, and see only the worst side. They are often worthy people who think that pleasure is wrong. These people may lead us towards heaven to change the course of our lives but they stick pins into us all the way. They say depressing things and do disheartening things; they chill prayer meetings, discourage charitable institutions, injure commerce, and kill churches; they are blowing out lights when they ought to be kindling them.

Two men who live in the same house and do the same work may not live in the same world. Although they are under the same roof, one may see only deformity and ugliness; to him the world is out of joint, everything is cross-grained and out of sorts: the other is surrounded with beauty and harmony; everybody is kind to him; nobody wishes him harm. These men see the same objects, but they do not look through the same glasses; one looks through a smoked glass which drapes the whole world in mourning, the other looks through rose-colored lenses which tint everything with loveliness and touch it with beauty. Unfortunately, the optimist is expected to change his course of life to match that of the pessimist more often than the other way around.

Take two persons just home from a vacation. One has positively seen nothing, and has always been robbed; the host was nasty, the bedroom was filthy, and the food was lousy. The other has always found the coziest nooks, the cheapest suites, the best hostesses, the finest views, and the best dinners.

Pessimists may be the people who are impossible to shop for. Sometimes, it is because they have everything that they could possibly want. Other times, it is because they are impossible to please. Incredibly, sometimes both cases are true.

Just as there are companies that cater to motivation and the optimists, there is at least one company that caters to demotivation and the pessimists. This company knows all too well the pain of shopping for the chronically dissatisfied. This company's founder is just optimistic enough to think he will be successful catering to pessimists. If so, that will certainly change the course of his life from one of cynicism.

Pessimists don't expect anyone to show up at their funeral. Some of them doubt that they will even be buried properly. Paul Harvey is quoted as saying, "I've never seen a monument erected to a pessimist."

The pessimists reading this may want to change the course of their lives if they wish to leave an optimistic legacy.

Amelia Johnson

About the Author

Amelia Johnson, Life Style Mentor and Successful Entrepreneur, is helping many become the next success story. Whether you're looking to create an extra few thousand dollars per month, be an ex-corporate executive, or the next millionaire Mom, Debra can assist you to create a second stream of income and greater peace of mind. visit : Success

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