The reality of pessimistically being an optimist

What if the core reason for the mental health crisis is our collective difficulty in letting go of our positions and putting on a different perspective?

I recently saw an Instagram reel of an excerpt from a podcast with Dr. Ramani. If you have not seen her videos, her channel is DoctorRamani. In that podcast, she mentions that the hallmark of a healthy mind is flexibility—the ability to adapt to an ever-changing, challenging life. Seeing from different perspectives allows us to be more mentally resilient.

The binary thinking type tends to oversimplify complex, nuanced problems into yes or no statements. Yes, it is possible and straightforward to say yes or no to very easy, quickly verifiable questions. For example, did I eat breakfast this morning? Yes or No. Even then, I could say I don't remember. However, exploring nuances should also be considered. There are cases in which binary thinking is easily applicable.

Three perspectives tend to see things differently regarding more complex, larger issues. For example, a pessimist's perspective is great at exploring risks and potential dangers. On the other hand, an optimist's mind allows for taking action despite risks. Lastly, a realist helps the other two perspectives understand what is possible given the constraints.