The Difference Between Positivity and Optimism

This thought about the difference between positivity and optimism is very interesting, and I discovered it on Simon Sinek’s podcast “A Bit Of Optimism.”

Positivity is a reflection of your current state. It’s seeing the best in the way things are right now. It’s a perspective because it’s a lens through which you see your reality, and it helps you to experience better moments. I’m a big advocate for positivity.

But optimism is different, and just as important. As Simon stated in the podcast “Optimism is not a denial of the current state, it’s a belief that the future is bright, but it accepts current darkness.” In learning this, we can see that optimism doesn’t say much about how you feel in the moment, you absolutely can be stressed, worried, or anxious. It merely allows you to accept it as temporary. 

So now that begs the question, how are positivity and optimism different in practice? I think a lot of the short-term tactics like positive body posture, parasympathetic breathing, and gratitude are all great in helping to change your physiology so that you’re more comfortable feeling positive. But when it comes to optimism it’s more about practicing faith and surrendering to the process, trusting that things will ultimately be as they should.

So, let's be both positive and optimistic!