The Pessimistic Dog: A Short Story

I come from a line of teachers in my family, which is probably why I am currently pursuing a career in teaching. This means I have gotten a lot of advice about teaching and how I should promote happiness into the classroom. The best advice I have received is, “Positivity is key”. A short story by Pedro Sacristán called, The Pessimistic Dog, simply explains why, and it goes something like this…
There was once a farmer who constructed a competition between his dog and his rabbit. He made a hole in one of his biggest fields and hid a carrot and a bone in the hole. The rabbit was very optimistic, and he threw himself into looking for the carrot, digging everywhere, convinced that he would find it. But the dog was pessimistic, and after sniffing around for a bit, he laid down on the ground and began to complain about how difficult it was to find one bone in such a big field. The rabbit

Bob Proctor is an expert on positive thinking, and he suggests that positive thinking does the opposite of happiness. Proctor explains that being optimistic about life goals like losing weight will only lead you farther from reaching that goal. He states, “Studies indicate that such fantasizing produces negative effects in many different parts of life- from academic achievements to professional careers, to improve one’s health, and even to personal relationships” (par. 10). I can see where he is coming from. Although, psychologist, Barbra L. Fredrickson proves that thought wrong. She explains that if people think positively they will be more motivated in becoming a better you, and you will develop the tools to make the most out of your life (par. 2). Fredrickson’s point, and all the other facts that have been presented throughout this paper lead to the conclusion that positivity can help you. Whether it is a stressful situation, or improving your health, if you are optimistic, you live a happier