In periods of change and challenge, when faced with setbacks, reversals, poor decisions or just old-fashioned bad luck, it's important to learn to be resilient to the stressors of life so that you can lead a more manageable, enjoyable and healthy existence. Some people are just naturally more stress-resilient than others. Optimists are people fortunate enough to fall into this category. Optimists tend to view people, events and actions in a positive light, whereas pessimists are inclined to emphasize adverse aspects of events and worst possible outcomes. Optimists, with their positive attitude toward life and its trials, have a better chance of good health and are better able to cope with adversity.
Optimists tend to view stressors as challenges for growth rather than threats or catastrophe.
Optimists feel a sense of control in their life, and they're confident that they have the resources to cope. However if you are not one of Nature's optimists, you can train yourself to think positively and identify and change negative thought patterns. By changing your thinking, you can change your behavior, and this, in turn, gives you a sense of control and confidence. But it's not easy. It takes awareness and persistence to change habits and eliminate old memory patterns in your brain.