There are a lot of people who see the glass half empty and they always find something negative in everything they see or do. Do you know that friend who instead of enjoying an unforgettable view while flying and living the moment thinks about how the plane might crash and everyone will die? Well, this is just an example of what a pessimist thinks in an ordinary day. 

According to some studies, most pessimists do not succeed in life because they see only the bad side of things and do not take advantage of the opportunities that arise. 

So, here are some signs that you are actually a pessimist. Read on for more!

You do not feel comfortable around optimistic people 

Many people who are pessimistic see the happiness of other individuals as something childish because they probably think the things that bring them joy are so naïve. So, in general, optimism and positivism can lead to agitation and make pessimists feel uncomfortable. 

“For pessimists, it’s easier to interpret optimists’ happiness as naïve or stupid than to reconsider that their entire worldview could be contributing to their unhappiness,” says Chicago-based licensed clinical social worker Rebecca Ogle. 

You do not follow your dreams

Pessimistic people tend to see only the negative side of things and think a lot about failure before doing something. For instance, many people do not take advantage of an opportunity because they are afraid to try because of the fear of losing. 

“By not even asking, you eliminate the possibility of being rejected or disappointed, ” explains Ogle. “Unfortunately, you also squander the chance of living the life you dream of.”

You are shocked when things go right

Thinking that a successful action is actually a mistake is a characteristic of pessimistic people. For example, if you easily passed a test and thought that it was not that difficult because the teachers planned this and not because you actually learned and tried your best, then you might be pessimistic.

Of course, there are several scenarios that can make you think so. “For instance, if you get hired for a job you really wanted, you think, ‘Maybe they got my resume mixed up with someone else’s,'” explains Ogle.

You are always negative

Being a pessimist can be really exhausting because you will always tend to think negatively about what is going to happen in your life, even if you are about to get what you wanted. Unfortunately, many people fail in their careers because of pessimism.

“If you get a promotion, instead of celebrating, you think, ‘This job is so much more work. I’m probably going to fail,’” says Ogle.

You think that people are not attracted to you

If you do not believe the people who tell you that you are attractive, you might be very pessimistic. Did you know that the way you see yourself influences the way other people see you? So, if you constantly complain about your body and expose your defects in front of others then you will draw the attention to them.

“When we believe the negative stories we tell ourselves, we set ourselves up for self-fulfilling prophecies,” explains New York-based therapist Alison Bulman, MSW. “Similarly, if you’re certain someone won’t be interested can be like wearing doom and gloom glasses that actually make people appear less attractive.”

You do not think that your relationships will work out

Well, most of the time, pessimistic people do not fully believe in their relationship with their partner because they think negatively. Unluckily, many people break up because they do not believe their partner’s feelings are real and true. “Pessimists are often more likely to expect a relationship to go poorly or end quickly,” notes clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly.

You can sabotage your chances of success

One of the most common methods of self-destruction done by pessimists is sabotaging their own destiny. How is this possible? Well, pessimistic people who do not believe in themselves and their own skills do not take advantage of applying for a promising job. Of course, they are very knowledgeable in reality. So, focus more on what you need to do to succeed and less on failures!

“When you never think you’re right for promotions at work, you’re less likely to recognize those that might actually be right for you,” says Bulman.

You think that people focus just on your flaws

If you think that people always focus on your flaws no matter what you do and they see just your weaknesses you may be the victim of pessimism. For instance, pessimistic individuals think that their work colleagues consider them inferior. “A pessimist may often expect others to find them lacking or inferior in some way,” says Manly.

You emphasize other people’s flaws

Pessimists believe that if they express their negative opinion directly then other people will not get angry and they will react per se. But, nobody is perfect and human flaws should not be highlighted by you. 

“Pessimists mirror their internal emotions to external situations and people, so focusing on what’s wrong with other people is only natural for them,” explains sex therapist Robert Thomas, co-founder of Sextopedia.

So, next time when you see someone’s flaws, try to keep your mouth shut or tell them in a positive way.

Pessimistic individuals overthink a lot

Most of the time, overthinking can lead to sadness, stress, anxiety and depression because it usually invokes certain negative feelings and unhealed bad experiences from the past that affect the mood instantly. Therefore, pessimists often have negative thoughts that can affect their social life. Moreover, many pessimists will always say something negative about themselves in front of other people. Some of them say that ‘laughing at yourself’ is a form of self-irony.

“A pessimist might engage in a subtle negative commentary to themselves (and others) such as ‘I’m not very much fun’ or ‘I don’t have any good luck,'” says Manly.

You do not get excited when everything goes well

Many pessimistic people do not get excited when everything goes well in their life, because they think that something bad could happen at any moment. So, they do not live the moment and are not happy about the things they have in their life. “Pessimists can subtly take the joy out of a situation by finding the one little fly in the ointment,” says Manly.