Optimism or pessimism: Which is better for you?

If it would be up to us to say, we would assure you that optimism is the best way to live longer. We advise you to do away as much as you can from negative influences.

In these dark Corona days and time of Climate Change, we are pulled back and forth by the many changing reports and many feel very insecure. Today, for the umpteenth time in a row, the government is coming up with new tightening corona measures that will again restrict us in so many areas. (Positive thinkers will rather look at the new or renewed measures with an attitude of “ah, we can still do this!

Negatively you could say “what the heel, again a lockdown”. Positively you could say

“Is it only the fourth wave of the pandemic, or is it already the fourth lockdown?”

For many it almost has become part of their everyday life.

Somehow it is everyday life. This pandemic reminds us of what we like to ignore: life is unpredictable. Now it’s just being taken to the extreme. {Another Lockdown}

Thanksgiving Day and weekend is already behind us, but soon we shall get some other days of family gathering and happiness. For some Christian it is now Advent (peculiar to the Western churches) and a time to prepare for Christmas. In the old days that period was a time of fasting and meditation. For Catholics with November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day) it is the beginning of the liturgical year. So, when you think of starting a new year, hopefully, you would not do that with a grim, dark mind, but would look forwards with a lot of good ideas, positivism and hope. In many Eastern churches, the Nativity Fast is a similar period of penance and preparation that occurs during the 40 days before Christmas. Normally having a ‘Fast’ a person would take such action to clear the mind and to do away with all bad things. As such in that period a person should also do away with negative thoughts and come to see the good things in life, appreciating again all the tiny bits.

Those who believe in Jesus Christ have the advantage, that there is hope for them for better times. Therefore, there should be no reason for a Christian to run around with the chin hanging on the ground. Our faith provides the foundation of courage to assist us when we have to endure that difficult ‘walk of life‘. Even when the days are becoming shorter and darker, this does not have to make our mind darker and has to stop us from dreaming or going further with our bold adventure and directs our steps to greatness. The light in the darkness Christians may see, they can show also to others, to bring them some positive news in these darker days.

The coming of Christ in his Nativity was overlaid with a second theme, also stemming from Gallican churches, namely, his Second Coming at the end of time. Some people are convinced we have already entered that time of the end. For others, this interweaving of the themes of two advents of Christ gives the season a peculiar tension both of penitence and of joy in expectation of the Lord who is “at hand.”

In life it often goes the wrong way with people when they have too many expectations. We typically do demand too much from ourselves. At the same time, we create borders for ourselves thinking that we shall not be able to do this or that. By setting such limitations in front of us we collide with a bare wall. We should know our feelings have all to do with our attitude to ourselves and to others. But it also has to do with what we want from ourselves and how we want to project ourselves to others.

Some of us are afraid to have some dark thoughts or see such pessimistic ideas as a threat or danger to our well-being.

Studies suggest that around 80 percent of people have an optimism bias, or tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive events. But does that mean they live happier lives?
Marnie Chesterton – accompanied by Hannah, a CrowdScience listener and self-proclaimed pessimist – investigates how we form our views on what the future holds, and whether it’s better to always look on the bright side of life.

‘If we think things are gonna be good for us in the future, we tend to put in the effort’

Can CrowdScience answer your question?

Let us not forget even when we are becoming restricted, we can use this time of more isolation, to think more about ourselves, what we have done and what way we shall continue to go. Now it is time to think of ways to go forward, even when we have to face certain times to draw back, and considering that tis moment may be totally different from the moment and time of someone else we know. Not comparing ourselves with others all the time shall make life much easier.

In this darkness, dare to step forward at your own speed and with your own capabilities!

Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels.com

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Preceding

In October-November People often too busy with death and the dead

Misleading world, stress, technique, superficiality, past, future and positivism

What kind of attitude do you have?

don’t look at me in that tone of voice!

Some Hope for 2021

Expectations

Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself

Getting up to bring changes into your life

On Positivism

Benefits of Positive Thinking

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Additional reading

1. Unlikely silence
2. CoViD-19 Curation
3. No time yet to relax the CoViD-19 restriction measures
4. Another Lockdown
5. The importance of utopia and how to get there
6. Utopian dreams
7. Thoughts for the day (Our World) = Thoughts for the day (Some view on the World)
8. Thanksgiving wisdom: Why gratitude is good for your health
9. Good time to sort out your friends and contacts
10. Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement (Our World) = Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement (Some view on the World)
11. Offering words of hope (Our world) = Offering words of hope (Some View on the World)
12. God, let me be a light in these dark times

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Related

1. Punch Through: Harsh Life and the Problem of Positive Thinking
2. When You Make A Mistake
3. Seeds, Roots and Shoots
4. Changing World
5. Confidence in the Lord
6. 🤗 A Better Life ~ Sing a Happy Song
7. 👊 Today’s Power Thought ~ Yes, Good Things Are Headed Your Way
8. 👊 Today’s Power Thought ~ You Have Undiscovered Potential
9. Review of “The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist’s Guide to the Climate Crisis”
10. Throwing of the Gauntlet: Quotes for Philosophical Dads
11. The Walk down Memory Lane
12. One Lesson From a 100 Day Tweet Challenge
13. Dancing Lights 

Point Taken?

 

World looks dark?
Lots of confusion? Conflict & division?
Isn’t it time for a little light?
To balance things out?
What if each of us has the power within…?
to shine bright?
Can you shine a little of your light today?

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Unwrapping once faith

We are born in all innocence. Once growing up we are confronted with many things of which we have to come to understand some things are good whilst others are bad. Good and bad – right and wrong – that will keep us busy all our life long.

No wonder we can regularly find people who question their choices in life. And that is what we all regularly should do. Go over our lives and find out what we have done, why and how.

A recovered alcoholism addict, US Navy Veteran, now non-smoker, who uses the pseudonym jeffw5382,  who seem to want to become a friend of many, by wanting to help them. He finds it important to whom he is relating to and how he is, really appropriate and adding to life, loving-kindness, and compassion. He also likes to reflect and to seek stillness, even in motion, silence even in comotion and

will be better for it as I emerge on the other side. {What am I doing?}

By the years gone by, he wants to process and digest what has happened. Though confronted with those facts he might say

However hard it may be to fathom, one thing I must do above all else is to wholeheartedly accept what is. Eliminating or changing unhealthy ideas, behaviors or situations from my life are other options, but. I must accept that things are exactly the way they are supposed to be at this moment. {It is possible!}

In 2017 his life depended on being of service. He wrote

Not only am I self employed in a service oriented profession, I have integrated a desire to be helpful and generous wherever possible. The most important realization to me about this is, that it truly is selfishness that is behind it. By recognizing and admitting that, I am relieved of the urge to pat myself on the back. It’s just something I have to do today. I must give back in measure of what has been freely given to me. {Enlightened Self Interest}

That year he also felt so lucky to be able to embrace, wholeheartedly, the idea that he can improve his conscious contact with God. He wrote:

I acknowledge that many face seemingly insurmountable obstacles when even considering this. It started with the barest beginnings with me. Saying Please when I wake and Thank you as I lay down to end my day. {Please and Thank You}

He at that time found it impossible to describe what or who his God was.

I ascribe to the idea that God is incomprehensible to the human mind. In addition, that the greatest obstacle to finding God is the word, God. In my endeavor to get and stay clean and sober, I devoured all sorts of spiritual and religious texts. {Please and Thank You}

Three years later he is feeling that he might be embarking on a treacherous journey of sorts.

I am delving into my long-held beliefs and frail faith to discover my true self. That one that is in me and in Him. {Here I go}

he let us know and invites others

to share in this adventure that you might also question everything, scrape, prod, rip open and take apart the conceptions and ideas that inhibit our evolution to realizing our inheritance. {Here I go}

For lots of people, life is a great adventure, with many ups and downs. Sometimes very deep downs and lesser great ups.

Jeff writes:

Everything upon which I have relied is suddenly revealed to be a mere reflection of what I have found comforting to my ego. If I am to uncover my truest self all these ideas, preconceptions and formulas have to be incinerated by the flames of Love. {Here I go}

He also speaks about God, though we are not sure yet which god he means, because in 2017 he still thought of a three-headed god. From our side, we could and can only hope he one day shall come to discover the Only Real God Who is the All-knowing Eternal and everlasting (i.e not able to die, whilst Jesus really died) invisible Spirit, whilst his 2017 godhead is a not all-knowing god, Jesus even not knowing when he would be coming back to earth.

It is nice to see he understands that God

is a jealous and merciful God. {Here I go}

which makes it so important to worship the right God and not just any god. We should only worship the God of Jesus Christ, the Spirit God, Who is revealed in the angels and in Christ, but also revealed in the righteous faithful.
It is that “I Am that I Am” we should look at. It is that Godhead Who wants to be found.

The blogger Jeff seems to be willing to seek and to find Him. He writes:

He wants me to seek Him only in all my doings. Being human with a myriad of selfish desires I chase and grasp after things I think will satisfy, these seeming insatiable cravings, and when I do go after them without discernment, I get smacked down, disappointed and left wanting. I then am again desperate, confused and left wondering why I have been allowed to forget the Love that is merely a breath away. (Jealous) Immediately I am forgiven and realize I have been taught. His Love and acceptance are eternal. (Merciful) {Here I go}

The big problem with man is that they prefer to give a man a higher position than God. Lots of people do prefer to put the human doctrines above the Biblical doctrines and they believe that those human theologians do know it better than those Biblical writers or penmen from God. Instead of accepting the sayings from God (like Him saying that Jesus is His only begotten beloved son) and to believe the Biblical sayings or writings from Scriptures.

All should come to see the light shining in the darkness, the sent one from God, being such a light for mankind and the solution against the curse of death.

“If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must pass beyond everything that can be seen and enter into darkness. Since nothing that can be heard is God, to find Him we must enter into silence.

Since God cannot be imagined, anything our imagination tells us about Him is ultimately misleading and therefor we cannot know Him as He really is unless we pass beyond everything that can be imagined and enter into an obscurity without images and without the likeness of any created thing.” {It just doesn’t make sense}

When one keeps to the false human doctrines then a lot in the Bible might not seem to make sense, but when one really take the words like they are written in the Bible, they all make sense. It only demands an openess to be willing to listen to God Him speaking by His infallible Word, the Bible. Then you shall be able to

“receive the gift of an interior light that is so simple that it baffles description and so pure that it would be coarse to call is an experience. But it is a true light, perfecting the intellect of man with a perfection far beyond knowledge.” {It just doesn’t make sense}

Jeff writes

So to be calm, resolute in stillness appreciating what I can see and what I have experienced, being kind and helpful (if possible) to all I encounter, and forgiving those who are lost in hatred and poisoned by a vindictive heart, and also admitting that I am flawed. I am liberated into a Perfect Peace that Doesn’t make any sense. {It just doesn’t make sense}

But it is that incredible peace we have to look out for. It is possible for everyone to become a partaker of it.

Peace and Violence are with us and will be until the Lion lays down with the lamb {Nothing New}

But we have the great hope in the sent one from God: Jesus Christ, our saviour and the way to God.

Jeff looking for help; a little embarrassed and humbled to appeal for assistance covering impending medical expenses. (I must admit)

Words of Jesus preached with authority and conviction and fishes to fry

In the 1970ies our Baptist church went with a motor-coach to a huge stadium to hear the American preacher Billy Graham. It was incredible how he could move the auditory. The audience was incredibly enthusiastic and weeks after we were still talking about what we got to hear and how that man could burn fire in the hearts of the listeners.

The ALS-patient of the blog “Unshakable Hope”, also has the picture in his mind of thousands of people at a Billy Graham crusade walking down to the front after hearing the words of Jesus preached with authority and conviction. Bill Sweeney writes

Even two thousand years after Peter and Andrew dropped their fishing nets to follow Christ, His words still have the power to change the hearts and minds of millions of people. {I’ve Got Bigger Fish To Fry}

At the beginning of our contemporary era, it must have been very special around Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and Palestine. That young man who could speak so well and who did such miraculous things, that many wondered how he could do that. Though he never claimed honour for himself. He knew very well that he could not do such things without his heavenly Father Who is much greater than him. He was happy that he received the power from God and that way could help people so that they too might come to know the Most High God.

“17  And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him {1 } to heal. {1) Gr that he should heal; Many ancient authorities read that he should heal them }18 And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20 And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But Jesus perceiving their {1 } reasonings, answered and said unto them, {2 } Why reason ye in your hearts? {1) Or questionings 2) Or What }23 Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.” (Lu 5:17-25 ASV)

“ Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.” (Joh 5:19 ASV)

“ Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 ASV)

Though Jesus came to bring the Truth, lots of people did not want to know it. Also today lots of people refuse to accept the biblical truth and do not see that Jesus is the way to God. Lots of people have made Jesus into their god instead of accepting him as the mediator between them and the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

“5 For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times;” (1Ti 2:5-6 ASV)

Living on this globe with all its difficulties and our daily pains and problems we can see the light in the darkness by the hope that man has offered the world. With the knowledge that no single man can do what Jesus did, none bringing salvation to us, we can share that hope with those around us, showing that all other sent ones from God, the prophets, witnessed about him who is the Lamb of God and as such suffered also a lot and even gave his life as a ransom for many (including us).

“ To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.” (Ac 10:43 ASV)

“ And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.” (Ac 4:12 ASV)

“ On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that {1 } taketh away the sin of the world! {1) Or beareth the sin } (Joh 1:29 ASV)

Bill Sweeney writes

Maybe we’re at our best, our most compassionate, our most empathetic and our kindest when we’re in the midst of these difficult times. Maybe this is when we are most like Christ. Yes, I am convinced that this is when we’re most like Christ.

Instead of trying to avoid thinking about these difficult times, I think we should purposely reflect on them and remember all of the things that seemed so trivial. Those things are still trivial in the good times. And, the things that still mattered to us in the hard times, are, I’m convinced, the very things that Christ wants us to build our lives around; these are the bigger fish.

Can you have joy and happiness building your life around these bigger fish?

Yes!

Through all of my really difficult times, especially battling ALS for the last 21+ years, I’ve discovered that building my life around these things that matter, these “bigger fish,” is the secret to true and lasting joy.

But, I still leave room for sports, mindless movies and other little fish.

{I’ve Got Bigger Fish To Fry}