Permanence refers to how long you believe stressful events will persist. Pessimists tend to view stressful events as being permanent compared to optimists who view them as temporary. Pessimists use words such as always and never to describe stressors.

Their illogical beliefs would sound like this:

"Why do these things always happen to me?"

"I never can get it right."

Optimists tend to view stressful events and situations as temporary, and their beliefs would sound like this:

"Although this is a very painful thing to go through, it too will pass."

"I am really upset over this, but I'll get over it in a couple of days."

Optimists can even admit to feeling temporarily overwhelmed and unable to cope. The difference is their belief that this feeling is transitory and does not represent a permanent condition that will never pass.    

Pervasiveness relates to your sense of space. Pessimists tend to view the effects of stressors as pervasive, affecting every aspect of their lives. Optimists tend to view stressors as context-specific and not affecting all other facets of their lives or well-being.   

Let's use  programming a new cell phone as an example.        Pessimists might view performing this task task poorly as a measure of their lack of intelligence and inability to perform any technological task (such as installing a new software program on their computer) adequately. They might tell themselves things such as:

 "I am really stupid."

"I'm can't follow any instructions related to technology."

Optimists would view being unable to program their new cell phones as something specifically related to that particular set of instructions or phone and not a perfect measure of their technological expertise or overall intelligence.

They would use the following self-talk to explain their inability to program their cell phone:

"Boy, thes instructions are very confusing. I'll have get help from the guy I bought this from."

 "I might consider switching to a phone with better instructions or get used to having the saleperson program it."

Personalization refers to taking responsibility for stressors. Pessimists tend to have an external view of personal responsibility for stress. They tend to blame others or society for their problems and stress. Optimists tend to take personal responsibility for feeling bad and being

stressed.

Pessimists would engage in the following kinds of personalization self-talk:

"She or he really made me feel bad."

"Everybody is always making me do things that take up my time and make it impossible to get myown work done."

Optimists would react in the following way to these situations:

"I really feel bad when she or he acts that way."

"I need to start saying no to things I really have no time to do."

Optimists and pessimists experience the same potential stressors. The difference is that optimists tend to view them as less threatening and are better able to cope with them.

In next month;'s newsletter I'll show you how to use Seligman's ABCDE Model to rethink minor stressors.