Rachael Bletchly says she was born pessimist, adding that telling a worrier to ‘just stop worrying’ is futile and now, officially, the worst bit of advice you can give
I am a born pessimist and worrying is second nature to me.
When faced with a problem my mind always races to the worst-case scenario before returning to the likely one. It irritates more Âoptimistic friends â particularly the Pollyannas who see silver linings in every passing cloud while sipping from their half-full glasses.
Because I’m checking the weather app warning it’s about to bucket down while my glass is always down to the dregs and very probably cracked. “Stop worrying,” they say. “It might never happen.” “Try and live in the moment.” “Que sera, sera.”
I know they think it’s bad for my health, and studies suggest that optimistic women do live longer than fretters. But telling a worrier to “just stop worrying” is futile. And now, officially, the worst bit of advice you can give.