▲ Illustration by Anna Parini. Provided by well.blogs.nytimes.com.

Phrases such as “think positive” and “look at the bright side” are used so frequently nowadays that they have become clichés without any substance. Bookstores are teeming with self-help books that worship the wonders of positive thinking, while preaching the poison of negative thinking. Tired of reading those books that all repeat the mantra of optimism? Try The Positive Power of Negative Thinking (2001).

Julie K. Norem, the author of The Positive Power of Negative Thinking, challenges this predominant black-andwhite mentality and embraces the hidden benefits of pessimism and negativity. She then goes on to underscore the merits of coming to terms with the reality instead of having one’s head in the clouds by shattering the illusion of optimism based on extensive research.

One of Norem’s central arguments is the flaw in the deep-rooted dichotomy that classifies optimism as absolutely good and pessimism as absolutely evil. Rather, she expounds on how each and every individual is predisposed to either optimism or pessimism, but still is able to adopt a so-called “defensive pessimism” as strategies, depending on situations.

One way to achieve this is through a process called “mental rehearsal.” Pessimists are generally prone to cook up all sorts of worst-case scenarios in their heads, worrying themselves to death. Although such excessive worrying might seem unnecessary and pointless to some, defensive pessimists take a step further and come up with plans to handle any problems that might arise in each of their scenarios.

This way, defensive pessimists are better able to deal with a crisis in an effective and efficient manner, while optimists who convinced themselves that “everything will be fine” are caught off guard and left utterly unprepared. In other words, defensive pessimism is different from stereotypical pessimism in that it enables people to break away from a bubble of despair and put their worries into action.

For instance, ahead of an important speech in a room full of people, one might be concerned about blanking out or tripping over on the stage. Under such circumstances, regular pessimists would just sit there while trembling with fear and anxiety. However, defensive pessimists do a rehearsal of every possible mishap that could happen in their heads, and devise contingency plans for each scenario, like preparing a joke that could turn an embarrassing mistake into a humorous story.

This book seems to introduce just the right amount of complicated psychological theories to elaborate the main arguments. Still, the author weaves in plenty of personal anecdotes so that her readers can get a sense of how such theories could be applied to their everyday lives.

Another thing that stands out in this book is that the author does not force her ideas down the readers’ throats, unlike so many other books of a similar kind. Instead, she stresses the importance of the flexibility in adopting different mindsets, like strategic optimism and defensive pessimism, despite one’s innate predisposition. By doing so, this book gives readers room to breathe and digest it with a sense of liberation.

In a nutshell, The Positive Power of Negative Thinking is like taking a college-level psychology class that could actually come in handy for once. Particularly for those who failed to reap the benefits of blind optimism, this book might be exactly their cup of tea. Lastly, do not feel guilty about being a pessimist at times because that could turn out to be your biggest asset with a bit of tweaking.