Defeating Pessimism
A research group once decided to distinguish and define the difference between a pessimist and an optimist. In order to do so, they recruited two eight-year-old boys, each one representing an attitude, and put them into two separate rooms which they monitored through one-way windows.
The pessimistic boy was placed in a room filled with every toy imaginable! As the boy opened one package after another, he grumbled and whined that the toys failed to work properly or weren't as fun as his at home. He had no one to play with, he huffed and puffed. In the end, he sat in the room dissatisfied, scowling and wanting to go home.
Next door, the optimistic boy was found in a room full of horse manure. To the researchers' surprise, they found the boy covered in manure as he dug his way down the piles.
"What are you up to?" One of the researchers smiled as he peeped his head in through the door, plugging his nose as he did so.
The boy looked up with a huge grin, his bright eyes shining and exclaimed, "With all this horse poop here, I figured that there must be a pony somewhere!!!"
(Illustration used by Dr. Pettit, Opening Services at Bob Jones University)
Can I be honest with you? Whenever I look back at last year, I cringe. The spring semester of my sophomore year was definitely not one of the highlights of my college career. And you know why that is? It was my attitude throughout the whole thing. I'm ashamed to say that I found it easy to gripe and complain. I know that we all get tempted, but it's the moment we decide whether we succumb or not to that temptation that is crucial. Allowing even the slightest murmur into my heart polluted my entire thinking. Looking back at my Facebook photo album filled with genuinely smiling faces and fun activities, I'm astounded that I found so much to complain about. I remember a few times going to organization meetings half-heartedly, thinking to myself how I wish I could just skip and work on something else. In my pride, I remember believing that I was taken too much for granted and deserved more appreciation. I grew tired of events I was required to attend. I was disappointed by how people behaved, and instead of helping them change, I allowed their attitudes to transform my own outlook. I was also so focused on surviving the semester, the time of my sophomore platform, that during my fight for survival, I ended up forgetting about the myriad of opportunities God laid in front of me.
However, working at a Christian camp this summer where servanthood was the emphasis, I am entering the school year with a fresh start and a renewed excitement. I think positivity and a servant's heart go hand and hand. I truly believe that once we get over that hump of self-centeredness and choose to invest in others, we can defeat pessimism and discontentment. Focusing on others draws our thoughts away from our feelings and in turn, channels our minds to how we can bring joy to others. Now, I'm still obviously a work in progress—I've already skipped a meeting I was supposed to go to 😬! With all my extracurriculars and busyness this semester, I'm still fighting off the urge to murmur, but the key phrase is "fighting off." I may fall down once in a while, but as long as I ask God to pick me back up, I know that I'm striving to honor Him.
I write all this to encourage you and remind myself that yes, life will always have its circumstances and discouragement, but it also will have an equivalent or a greater amount of blessings. It's just up to us to find them, and figuring out ways to minister to others makes our task of finding blessings much easier.
Remember, there's so much more to _______ (life, school, work, being a parent, etc.) than survival. We are called to be wherever we are right now in whatever circumstance we are in to glorify Christ and to serve others with the right attitude.
Hello, friends!
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading. This year, I'm a junior graphic design major with a business minor, and I'm looking forward to what God has in store. I say that each year, and I mean it each time! Having a positive outlook enhances my excitement for God's will, and it encourages me to see myself grow closer to Him. I have had doubts about my salvation in the past, but rereading I John and yearning for Him daily proves that I am His child.
Recently, I have been thinking of sharing more of my heart with you all, and I hope I get to do that amidst all my school work. None of my words are here to harm or to boast, but instead, they are here to hopefully uplift and to help. My posts may contain random money-saving tips (I love couponing), funny experiences and crazy adventures, or something God has laid on my heart. I want to thank you in advance for reading, and I hope that opening myself up will encourage you in your daily walk with God!
Always Made with Joy,
Abby Joy M
