A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty, Winston Churchill.
A pessimistic person tends to focus on the negatives of life in general, see the worst aspects of things, and believe that the worst will happen, e.g., “No!, it will never work,” “We have already tried it and it didn’t work,” “My life is miserable, and it’s just getting worse.” He always sees the glass as being half empty. If the sun is shining, you’ll get sunburnt and that could lead to skin cancer. On the contrary, if it is raining, your feet will get wet and you’ll catch a cold.
He expects the worst thing to happen (Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time") and sees the worst aspects of everything. He finds difficulties in opportunities, dissatisfaction in any situation, flaws in everything and everyone, and problems in every solution. There is a lack of hope or confidence in the future.
It is very important to accept the most basic rule. The person is not going to change. I insist, just face it, you are not going to change him or her. Accept this fact. Recognize and accept them as they are.
Do not let them get you down by their gloomy and depressive doubts, fears, opinions, and ideas. They will drag you down into a black hole of sadness, hopelessness, and despair.
Do not play their game. You can listen actively to them, recognize their objections ― when they are based on rational grounds ―, but do not try to convince or change them to change their mind if they have already made their decision. You should understand that communication, which is a two-way process, may not be effective because one party, the pessimistic person, does not have the right attitude to find solutions or strategies to overcome or palliate problems, conflicts, and obstacles or reach compromises.
The golden rule is this: Hang out with them as little as possible and limit your communication with them. Find help and support in good friends, your partner, and family.
Think hard about possible alternatives, risks involved, and what would happen if you do nothing. Remember, we have to keep going and continue to move forward, work harder, and improve no matter what life throws at us.
Be positive and build self confidence. Surround yourself with positive people, they will help you grow, expand your horizons, seize opportunities, and overcome adversity. In contrast, negative people will always try to drag you down to their level, undermine your chances to succeed and flourish, weaken your strength, waste your time, and make your life life hell.
Do something new and different. Even if you make mistakes, at least you’re trying, making an effort, and learning, so you can improve for the next opportunity. Moreover, you are leading by example on how to live a healthy lifestyle, make a difference, and truly make a life worth living.