I grew up around enough people that always seem to have a negative take on things that I was determined to be the opposite. Of course if you always want to see the good in people, you really can get into some trouble.
I would like to believe I have found a decent balance between caution and still seeing the good in people.
Usually it's because we're invested in a particular situational outcome and we don't want to accept the possibility of an alternate ending to said situation, especially not a negative one. Or vice versa. When we invest in a negative outcome then ignore the potential positives because it conflicts with our original assumptions about the situation.
I've found it's best to reject the temptation to emotionally invest ourselves in assumptions / expectations for that very reason... You can twist mind in all sorts of knots.
This post was edited by ForkNdaRoad at October 9, 2016 11:33 PM MDT
Given the question is in relationships I'll take that spin. I think a lot of it is that we don't want to admit that something isn't or cannot work. As people, we always want success and think we can make something positive of even the most dire circumstances. Depending on the time already invested, it just makes it harder to walk away and give up. Especially when one really cares about the other person. Can be true of a lot of other things as I contemplate; leaving a place of employment, the city you live in. We get attached to the current and change and uncertain future is kind of scary..
Because red flags only appear around things that are appealing, things we desperately believe we need or want ... And if we never took risks ... No need to finish that thought
Benedict Arnold 