Is there room for optimism during a pandemic?
It is interesting to try and write an article about optimism in the middle of a pandemic. In general the future right now is uncertain at best.
So at this time should we be optimistic?
If we are optimistic how do we guard against what will be for everyone (some to greater and lesser extents) an uncertain future.
Depending on how long it takes for the pandemic to get under control will determine how much economic loss there will be. Therefore, in the midst of global uncertainty how do you stay optimistic?
What helps me is that I know the following:
A lot of very smart people are actively looking at how to best treat and manage Covid-19 so that the loss of life is reduced as much as possible.
Many groups are also working on a vaccine, which will become available in the next 12 to 18 months.
By both getting better at treating the virus and eventually preventing people from getting sick from the virus life should return to normal.
But what kind of normal is that?
At this stage no-one knows.
But in every downturn there will be winners and losers. By looking at your environment with both optimism and skepticism then hopefully you will come out of this if not at least the same then hopefully not worse off than before.
I am a naturally optimistic person. My default setting is always this will get better. My husband is naturally more pessimistic. I value his insights and point of view because it is quite often diametrically opposed to mine. This is good because my optimism often leads me to have blindspots.
I often don’t see an issue until it is too late to respond appropriately or effectively. So when he seems to be sharing negative thoughts I use that as a way to check myself.
Is what he is sharing valid?
IF it is then what steps should I take now to overcome or mitigate those issues.
Being naturally optimistic I can use this time in lock-down to take on some challenges to help make my time more enjoyable. So far in this time I have set myself the following goals:
Write an article everyday
Do at least one skillshare class a week
To write a novel and to start a coaching certificate
Doing all of these help me to feel that I am being productive and might lead to some additional work when the economy starts to pick up.
If you’re not naturally optimistic what can you do to be more positive in your outlook?
Talk to someone who is
Reframe negativity as a challenge rather than an obstacle
Understand that your view is not the only one
If you’re optimistic and you need to make sure your optimism is not a liability you can do the following:
Talk to those with a more pessimistic view
Actively look for issues/problems
Understand your view is not the only one
It actually doesn't matter if you are an optimist or a pessimistic person. Both perspectives are valid and if we understand where we are on the scale then we can make sure we avoid the limitations of our own style.
