Let’s not pretend. The world is a very messy and mean-spirited place right now.

Outrage is monetized. Algorithms don’t care about our peace of mind. They care about our attention. So, they feed us whatever keeps us riled up, scrolling, and sleepless.

How about choosing “optimism” in this season of gloom-and-doom? That’s not being naïve. It’s counterculture - selecting our own path. Thinking for ourselves!

And the research is clear: a hopeful outlook doesn’t just feel better, it helps us live better and longer. Optimism is linked to stronger hearts, better overall health, and even the lower risk of early death.

How I Fell Down This Rabbit Hole

How did I end up writing about optimism, pragmatism, and pessimism?

It was about 3:30 a.m. Willie was packing for a 7:00 a.m. flight to Atlanta. We were replaying a conversation we’d had with a longtime acquaintance the day before.

At the same moment, we both said the same word: “Pessimist.”

You know the type. You step into the conversation with energy. Five minutes later you’re checking your watch. By the end of this conversation, you need a nap, a donut, and a praise and worship playlist just to recover!

Willie is a born optimist—glass overflowing.

I call myself a pragmatist. The glass may not be full, but hand it to me and let’s figure out how to fill it.

Our acquaintance? Classic pessimist: “There’s always something wrong, and I’m just going to complain and live with it.” No solutions, no hope, just a running commentary on what’s broken.

Please, hear me: chronic pessimism is not just a personality quirk. It’s a health risk! Long-term negative thinking is linked to higher stress, more heart disease, and lower overall well-being.

Scripture told us this long before the scientists did: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23) “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)

In other words, what we dwell on, we eventually live out…emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

The News Works Against Our Peace

A 2024, study in Scientific Reports looked at more than 95,000 online news articles and over half a million social media posts. Negative news stories made up roughly 29 - 42% of the content. But they were 1.9 times more likely to be shared than other stories!

Translated? Even if negativity is not the majority of what’s published, it is the majority of what hits our social media feeds!

Other research shows that just 15 minutes of negative news can raise anxiety and sadness right away. And repeated exposure can destroy our desire to bounce back over time.

No wonder “doomscrolling” has become a word. We don’t just read the bad news; we “marinate" in that bad news.

And yet, Philippians 4:8 tells us: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure…think about such things.”

God isn’t telling us to ignore the pain. He’s telling us not to “live in a mental ghetto made of fear, rage, and despair.”

Optimism, Pragmatism, and Faith

Psychologist Martin Seligman calls optimism a learned skill, not a fixed personality trait.

That can be good news for those of us who are allergic to “Pollyanna energy.”

Learned optimism means: 1. noticing our negative thoughts 2. questioning whether they’re really true and then 3. reframing those thoughts in a way that’s honest and hopeful.

As a “pragmatic optimist,” with faith (I like that!), I say: “Yes, this situation is hard. Yes, the numbers are horrible. Yes, the diagnosis is scary. But I believe God. I still have choices. There is still a next step I can take.”

Climb Out of the Negative Spiral

If we feed our brains a 24/7 buffet of arguments, drama, and worst-case scenarios, we can’t climb out of this downward spiral, BUT...

Here are 6 gentle, shifts that I know will help:

1. Go on an “information fast.”

   Set a time limit for news and social media, maybe 20 - 30 minutes, once or twice a day.
   Unfollow accounts that are always outraged, shaming, or catastrophizing.

   Add a few “hope channels” like PBS, solution-focused news, good-news newsletters, sermons, or uplifting books.

2. Practice “realistic optimism.”

   Face the facts: “The economy is tough; our budget is tight.”Then ask: “Given this reality, Lord, what’s the next right step for me?”

   Write down one action you can take today. Tiny steps count BIG!

3. Overwhelmed? Shrink the problem. Name it in one sentence.

   List 3 tiny actions you can take:
   a. send one email
   b. make one call
   c. walk for 30 minutes
   d. Drink a glass of water.Action shrinks anxiety… do it now

4. Focus on what’s not broken. Research says our brains have a “negativity bias.” They naturally remember criticism and threats more than praise and safety!
5. Before bed, use your Jolley Goals Journal to record 3 WINS (things that went even slightly well and why they happened).

   When something good happens, pause for 30 seconds. Let yourself really feel it. You’re literally helping your brain learn a new path!

6. Guard your company like you guard your passwords. Our emotions are contagious. If everyone around you is cynical, combative, and always predicting disaster, staying hopeful is like trying to eat clean at the steakhouse.

   Limit time with chronic complainers - online and in person.Seek out people that talk about growth, healing, faith, and solutions.

   Find communities focused on service, recovery, or spiritual growth.

Here’s the Bottom Line

Choosing optimism is not pretending the world isn’t messy and mean. It’s about protecting our heart, our brain, and our body so we have the strength to engage with that world and help change it for good!

Science says a hopeful lens helps us live longer and stay healthier. Scripture says our thoughts shape our lives. When we put them together… looks like we might have a calling! (smile)

Guard our minds. Feed our hope. Refuse to let the world’s negativity have the final say in our lives.

And Do It Now!

You already have the information. What one action will you take today to shift your mindset?

Will you set a social-media limit on your phone?

Schedule coffee with an optimistic friend?

Write down 3 small wins before bed tonight?

Open your Bible to Philippians 4 and let God’s Word reset your focus? Whatever it is, do it today!

The world can be very dark. Don’t give it one more discouraged soul!

The world needs YOU NOW...Awake. Hopeful. Taking Positive Action!

Resources:

1. 1. Rozanski et al. (2019), JAMA Network Open
2. Krittanawong et al. (2022), The American Journal of Medicine
3. Nikrahan et al. (2016), Psychosomatic Medicine
4. Watson et al. (2024), Scientific Reports
5. Kellerman et al. (2022), JMIR Mental Health
6. Baumeister et al. (2001), “Bad Is Stronger Than Good”