Can tragic optimism help you during difficult times?

As we emerge gradually from the covid-19 pandemic, we now face another stressful period of financial concerns, with increased costs of living and job layoffs in some sectors. In an essay from his book Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl speaks of the tragic optimism outlook as saying 'yes' to life even after facing tragic circumstances. He defines it as “an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential which at its best allows for the following turning suffering into a human achievement and accomplishment; deriving from guilt the opportunity to change oneself for the better; and deriving from life’s transitoriness an incentive to take responsible action.” According to Mumbai-based psychotherapist and founder of mental health studio TalkSpace, Sheba Singh, asserted that we can feel optimistic and find meaning and purpose in life despite the tragic triad i.e. If that is not optimism, then what is," probes Mustafi, explaining that doing something for others is another way of deriving meaning in life as part of a tragic optimist outlook. Building tragic optimism over toxic positivity Both Singh and Mustafi The "positive vibes" approach may sound good, but it actually makes us ignore the full spectrum of our emotions, especially the negative ones.