Some believe that it’s important to be accepting of negative circumstances when they occur whereas others emphasise that it’s better to try to seek solutions in such situations. This essay discusses both perspectives and why I believe that the arguments for seeking solutions are stronger.
There are two main reasons why people believe that we must be accepting of bad circumstances. First of all, we often cannot avoid bad situations. Since these situations can’t always be avoided it’s best to just accept the reality. For instance, economic downturns can lead to the company we work for going bankrupt and in this case, we should not feel hard done by if we lose our job. In addition, unnecessary stress can be caused by dwelling on our current circumstances. If we are accepting of our circumstances this can allow us to maintain a positive mood and to continue enjoying our life despite a setback.
However, others argue that we should have a proactive attitude and find solutions to any negative predicament. The main benefit of this approach is that it may lead to eustress which helps to motivate us to find solutions. For instance, if we lose our job we should focus on finding a new job to solve the problem of being unemployed. Additionally, focusing on solutions can divert some of our negative emotions such as a feeling of bad luck or guilt into more positive emotions such as feelings of empowerment in our ability to solve our problems.
In conclusion, I believe both sides of the argument have merits. However, I believe it’s better to focus on finding solutions because it increases the likelihood of solving our problems and maintaining a positive mental attitude, which is far more important than the benefits of avoiding stress through being accepting of our circumstances.