If the pessimism is deep, you’re going to cry yourself to sleep

“Don’t bury your failures. Let them inspire you” – Robert Kiyosaki

Indeed, you should be optimistic about the future. Or at least try to be. Shouldn’t be that hard… right? Well, either way, failing an exam, feeling (constantly) lonely, depressed or anxious, trying to fall asleep when 5 tears run down your cheek while you are looking through the window at the stars at like 2 AM should not bring you down that much. Or at least it’s better if it doesn’t according to Brissette, Carver and Scheier (2002). These researchers investigated 89 college students to see whether more optimistic students had a better adjustment to stressful life events, in this case starting university. They were assessed at the beginning of the 1^st semester of college and 12 to 16 weeks later. They were given different questionnaires about depression, stress, social support and so on. The more optimistic students had greater increases in perceived social support and reduced increases in depression and stress.

So maybe being optimistic could keep you from feeling lonely and crying yourself to sleep? At least you would feel less lonely and not cry yourself to sleep every night (or maybe never).

Reference:

Brissette, I., Scheier, M. F., & Carver, C. S. (2002). The role of optimism in social network development, coping, and psychological adjustment during a life transition. Journal of personality and social psychology, 82(1), 102.