Know what this word means?

The word of the day is sanguine. According to the dictionary, to be sanguine is to be optimistic, confident, or positive, especially in a bad or difficult situation. Other similar words include buoyant, enthusiastic, upbeat, and cheerful.

I don't see sanguine being used that often. I first came across the word in a book I read recently. For whatever reason, it initially sounded to me like a word that could mean "sad" or "melancholy."

Thus, to be sanguine is to look on the bright side -- to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. Antonyms of the word sanguine include gloomy, negative, and pessimistic.

When we're in a tough spot, it certainly pays to remain sanguine. Positive thinking leads to positive outcomes. The more disposed we are toward shunning those negative thoughts that trickle into our mind, the better our chance at success. If you assume you're going to fail, you probably will.

As Theodore Roosevelt once said, "Believe you can and you're halfway there." Sounds like Teddy was pretty sanguine to me.

Did you know of the word sanguine before reading this post?

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