Liked This Qoute from Don
 

"The best cure for pessimistic thinking is not optimistic thinking but realistic thinking".

So, so true.

I was talking to my best mate while swimming about this - she does it too and we're good at helping each other out with it. One thing she said is that it's a way to defend ourselves from being disappointed and from others saying it first. OUCH!!

When I look at myself sometimes I see successes but other times I see failure, it's hard to know where the realistic balance is. I know my own flaws so when someone else says it's pessimism sometimes I feel like a con merchant, as though I've led them to believe something that isn't. But then there are times I see my success and that's when I really push myself to further what I can do, that's when sometimes I set out to achieve things that are truly hard.

I find it very difficult to weigh myself up, know whether I'm a prat or thoughtful. I can't seem to get a handle on that in a level way at all.