PESSIMISM ENCOURAGES CLEAR THINKING

Sometimes it can feel like we’re naturally more prone to pessimism than optimism. We expect the worst – even when good things are happening, stopping us from enjoying positive experiences.

But there can be an upside for erring on the side of glass-half-empty. Our brain’s memory region stores negative memories in a different way to how we recall positive experiences as part of our survival.

‘If a situation presents significant risk, then a pessimist is more likely to look for the worst that can happen, when evaluating the situation,’ adds Kate.

When we are overly optimistic we can also overlook danger. ‘A good way to understand your natural (optimistic/pessimistic) response is to consciously check in with your responses. Then assess whether you are using your optimism or pessimism to best effect,’ she says.