Are Realists Really Miserable?

A few days ago I was serving hot dogs to one of my regulars, when we got into an in depth discussion on human intellect, behaviors, and emotions. He had just got back from a vacation to the tropics and had a really nice time. In fact, I could tell just how nice of a time he had by how relaxed his demeanor was compared to normal. You see, this guy is a great guy, but normally he is like Stallone or Clint Eastwood.....honest, sturdy, and, dependable, but you can just tell that life has beat him down a little bit more than the average guy.

So, to make a long story short he says " Hey Adam, you know how I'm always calling myself a realist? "Yeah", I said. He goes on to say... "I was reading this article on the airplane by a shrink and she says..... people who call themselves realists are really depressed....... I think the shrink is right. I've had a lot of the symptoms for the past three years and didn't even see the signs until I read the article."

Now, the average person reading this may assume I was face to face with a hypochondriac who read an article and has immediately diagnosed themselves with depression and every other disease and disorder in the book, but that was far from the case. Not this guy. This is a stand up guy who has his feet firmly on the ground and tends to assess things with brutal honesty..... only in this case it happened to be himself.

So what about you? Are you an optimist who sees the good in everything(almost to the point of naivety)? Are you a pessimist who is like a black cloud pouring negativity on all who surround you? Or....are you a "realist"? Hopefully you are all of the above and none of the above. Hopefully it all depends on the situation and the circumstance. Each frame of mind has its benefits and its pitfalls. That included being "too real". Just ask the Stallone look alike that buys hot dogs from me every couple of days. He'll tell you!!! Take care everyone!

See you next time!!!