Why Optimism?

Recently, I had a man at my school come up to me and ask why I am always so optimistic. I have been asked this question many times by a variety of people. To answer them truthfully, I have no idea whatsoever. It bugs people when I tell them this. I know why too, because I've been in their position. That dark place in life that many of us encounter where life just sucks. Nothing goes right. It seems like the whole world is out to take you down, and will stop at nothing until it does. So for all you people who are wondering to yourselves, "Why does life suck?" I will tell you why it does not.

First off, if you think life sucks, stop telling yourself that, cause there is always something out there that doesn't. Take this for an example. I have a cat. I am a cat-man. Not so much obsessed, but I do love cats. And for the fact of that matter, dogs. I love dogs too. The wonderful thing about pets, is that they will never stop loving you and caring about you for as long as the both of you live. Think about it, you have a long, hard day doing whatever it is you do, and you come home. If you have a pet, who is the first person you see when you get there? Thats right, you see lil' Mr. Snugglepoo giving you that dumb but happy little smile telling you hes glad your home. How about that time you couldn't sleep? Say you just broke up with you gf/bf, and you've spent the whole night bawling your eyes out, or coping in some other manner (guys, I'm lookin at you) and the only person to really still care that your there, is your Ms. Squishy, that little white furball rubbing up against your face in the middle of the night. What I'm trying to say is, there is always somebody or something that really does care about you, so cherish that thought, and always remember it.

Secondly, if for some reason your getting yourself down cause of something that happened, chances are, you're  never going to want to forget about it. It is in human nature to hold onto the things that hurt you, and by God, no matter who you are, you'll hold on tight. But there is only one thing you can do. Don't repress it, just forget about it. People, you will say to yourself that it is not that simple. FALSE: It is that simple. It is so simple, there has been speculation that even goldfish do it every three seconds (YES I saw that episode of Mythbusters, thats instinct though, not memory). Every problem is worth forgetting. From the smallest to the biggest problems, just forget about them, and the weight of the world will be lifted from your shoulders. It feels good man.

Okay maybe there are some problems you have to deal with.

Finally, what I find really helps me feel good is a nice physically or mentally intensive hobby. I work out. Almost every day. (protip: Working out releases the chemical dopamine into your brain. If you do it right, working out can feel like sex and drugs.) It feels really good to know that you're getting into shape, getting stronger, whatever your goal is. But there is so much more one can do for themselves than workout. Take, for instance, my other hobby. I don't know how much I can call it a hobby, as I have not done it in a while, but metal crafting. Blacksmithing. Shaping. Welding. Making a metal bar into something completely different. It's crazy I know. But it really is a good emotional outlet. I mean, what more could an angry person want to do than hit metal with a hammer? But anyway, there are so many ways to outlet your emotions, it doesn't even have to involve physical intensity. I've even studied random things in the past, because they were so distracting. But whatever it is, make sure its healthy, and you enjoy it!

Well thats all that came to mind really. I bet there are many more things I could say about the subject, but I just cant think of anything. Well I'll try to think of something for tomorrow, but in the meantime, good luck with whatever venture you are currently procrastinating on!