Who wants to party with a pessimist?

I am an eternal optimist. I see the glass as half full. I am always doing great. And it’s always a beautiful day… And I find that’s a bit much for some people. It’s especially annoying to those who like to complain, point out the negative, gossip, see the glass as half empty and are forever having a bad day.

Recently, I felt the need to explain my sunny attitude to someone (who shall remain nameless) after telling them in no uncertain terms to “shut up and get the bleep out of my face with all the negative already, jeez!” Obviously I had reached a breaking point despite my efforts to deal with it in a more Zen-like manner.

After my spout of rudeness, I couched my apology in the explanation that for me, life is like a party. Not in the way you may be thinking (living life in a semi-drunken stupor – always looking for the next good time) so let me elaborate.

I’ve been to and hosted plenty of parties back in the day (pause for flashback) and here’s one thing I know. At most parties there are both pretty and ugly girls. Please, no screams of chauvinism. If you know me, you know that’s not true. But this is just for metaphor purposes.

Well, just as there are pretty and ugly girls at every party, life gives each of us a fair share of good and bad. So here’s the secret to having a good time at the party – talk to the pretty girls! It’s just that simple. The pretty girls (the good things in life) should get your energy and attention and you will surely have a good time at the party.

So let me draw the picture for you – Partying with a pessimist.

I walk into the party, me and my pessimist friend. I look around and see pretty girls and ugly girls. YES. I see the ugly girls, but they are not who I’m here for. In a few minutes, I find myself deep in conversation with who could well be the next love of my life. We’re sitting on a couch in the corner. I’m feelin’ her and she’s feelin’ me. We’re vibin’ on each other’s energy.

Suddenly, my friend plops himself down beside me and says, “Man, there’s a lot of ugly girls at this party!”

And I respond, “Yeah, I know man, but forget about them, go get you one of those pretty ones.”

“Yeah, but there’s so many ugly ones! Look at all of ‘em! Look at that one right there!” he persists.

Now, I’m getting a little agitated. “Man, leave me alone. You’re messin’ up my flow. Can’t you see I’m occupied here. Go have some fun!”

As I try to turn my attention back to my beautiful new friend, he tugs at my sleeve and persists. “Man this is crazy. There are just too many ugly girls here! This is terrible, I can’t stand it.”

So you get the picture. I see a beautiful summer day under a shady oak tree. The pessimist sees heat, humidity and mosquitoes. I see all the possibilities, opportunities and nothing but successful outcomes. My friend sees all of the problems, obstacles, roadblocks and looming failure. I see the good in every disaster. He see the disaster in every good.

What’s most baffling to me is that it seems they (the pessimist faction) actually enjoy complaining about the bad stuff! Dude, I’m about to go ballistic! It’s not like I don’t see the negative. It’d be crazy not to. But the good things in my world get my energy, attention, conversation, cooperation and focus. I get no pleasure from lending my energy to the negative. The simple fact is, at the party that is my life, the pretty girls (AKA ‘the good things’) get all my love.

PEACE.

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