How Cynical Thinking Hurts You

There’s an author, Marilynne Robinson, who says, “We have a habit of thinking that only cynicism is honest.” That hits home, y’all—I find myself tending to think of the world as a bad place and questioning others’ motivations reflexively. I see optimism as foolish sometimes. Cynicism feels safe, but it has major side effects. To learn how cynical thinking hurts you, read these pointers on what it leads to.

Cynicism Kills Hope

On the whole, cynicism is the enemy of hope. It whispers in your ear that a relationship isn’t worth keeping up, your personal exercise goal isn’t feasible, and you’re silly for trying something new. Excessive cynicism could lead to not pursuing a job you would love because you assume they wouldn’t hire you on.

The world becomes a bleaker place when cynicism rules the day, so dare to trust the bright side of things.

It Stops Up Generosity

One consequence of letting hope perish is you don’t see the point of generosity. You prefer to hoard your resources because you’re the only person you really trust (with the possible exception of your family). You wonder what another person or charitable organization will do with it should you give, and your mind jumps to a laundry list of negatives.

To address this, focus on the objective realities. In the case of a charity, there are a few tell-tale signs you shouldn’t trust it. Look at those, but then let research guide your decision. Irrational cynicism is tough to crack, but doing so frees you to do more good in the future than you ever thought possible.

It Stresses You Out

Another way cynical thinking hurts you is by stressing you out. Our bodies have a fight-or-flight response that is perfect for staying clear of danger. The problem is when everything, every person walking the street, seems dangerous, that response occurs constantly.

This leads to racing thoughts and even contributes to certain health issues. Rest is nonexistent, and your stress starts to order you around. So in reality, you don’t take control of your life by worrying and being cynical; you actually become a slave to your cynicism.

Wresting cynicism from your daily life isn’t easy, but it’s possible. For me, talking openly about this with friends helped me find ways to hope again. Take some time to ponder what would work best for you.