Choose and complete a questionnaire from the University of Pennsylvania Authentic Happiness website. Why did you pick this one, and what was your experience with it?
I chose the Optimism Test because throughout challenges whether in school, in swimming, with family, or in life in general, my mindset truly sets the tone for how I approach the issue. I remember my coach in swimming would always say “Mind Over Matter,” and to this day, I still stick with that saying as it allows me to remember how much agency and autonomy I hold over myself even if the challenge I am having is out of my control. By taking the optimism test, I got to see where I stand right now with my mind and how it affects me.
My results consisted of relatively neutral, but I did lean slightly more pessimistic. This result was and was not surprising to me. As I reflect on the past couple of years with my own individual challenges and the stress of constant change in my life, I realize and understand why I have become more pessimistic. When I was younger, I remember always having a positive take on reality, however, as reality has proven itself to not be as amazing as it is in my mind, I see why pessimism is easier to resort to personally. Pessimism allows me to not have to get excited about things or be disappointed in parts of my life because I was already expecting it to go worse.
On the other hand, even though pessimism is a simple way out for me, I understand that I should try to be more optimistic because even though I can and will be disappointed without fulfilling my goals, optimism will help me have more faith in myself and improve more as a student, athlete, sibling, and person overall. I understand that it will take a lot of unlearning to get to a more positive outlook, but I know that in the end, it will help me.
