It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way
Charles Dickens, opening lines in A Tale of Two Cities, an historical novel set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution
With these opening lines Dickens contrasts the two ends of what I call the Range of Reality. These are the glasses we put on to look at every aspect of our lives all day long. These are the borders we use to look at each situation. These are the focal points for the perspective we bring to our every thought and action hundreds of times throughout our day.
American Heritage Dictionary provides sharp distinctions for the opposing ends of the Range of Reality:
Pessimism
1. A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view.
2. The doctrine or belief that this is the worst of all possible worlds and that all things ultimately tend toward evil.
3. The doctrine or belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good.
Optimism
1. A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation.
2. The doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds.
3. The belief that the universe is improving and that good will ultimately triumph over evil.
Range of Reality
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What’s your reality? Where do you choose to spend most of your day on the Range of Reality? These are vital questions for your health, happiness, success, and well-being.
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