The Pressures of Optimism

I describe and define myself as an optimist. I try my best to be a source of encouragement for my friends and family and to keep a positive outlook on life.

I will go to great lengths to make people feel better, and it bothers me when I’m unable.

Almost all of the time, I’m there to rehabilitate other people’s spirits with a hug. (Or without one, I know some people aren’t huggers.)

I will say, though, sometimes I’m not always feeling happy and at 100%. When I don’t, I feel guilty that I’m unable to give people more energy. I sometimes feel like other people look to me for positive encouragement, and I owe it to them to be able to give it out all the time, no matter how I’m feeling.

Even if sometimes there isn’t anything wrong and my mood is just kind of off, I’m constantly looking to make myself feel better so I can make other people feel better. Sometimes, the solution to recharging isn’t simple.

However, I’ve come to realize that my friends understand when I’m not feeling up to my normal self. Sometimes they don’t even notice when I’m not at 100%. I still seem like my normal self even when I’m not giving hugs and screaming encouraging words at people. Good friends depend on you, but don’t build up a dependency on you.

You can be an optimist and not always be happy, just like you can be a pessimist and not always be sad. And sometimes you put more pressure on yourself than other people do, because only you analyze yourself that much.

And remember, your friends love you no matter how you’re feeling.

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