Hey monkeys,
By default I think I have pretty pessimistic attitude.
It's not a good trait, obviously, for business and working.
I tend to take the jobs I have for granted, and am generally pessimistic about the tasks and the career future.
Is there a way to develop a better work attitude, a more appreciative attitude?
Recognizing the problem isn't enough - it's like my default switch is set to pessimism.
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I have struggled with this as well and still do occasionally. I suggest reading the Elon Musk biography (he has a really good life philosophy on being both extremely honest with yourself and mainting a healthy form of optimism). You can also dig into stoicism and in some navy SEALS mental tricks.
I take rationality as my basic fundamental truth. This means that for me something is good or bad depending on whether it's rational. I thought that when I was pessimistic, I was simply being rational. What changed this was realizing that that's actually false, being pessimistic is completely irrational. As you have also noticed, you're not only sabotaging yourself (even pessimists don't like pessimists), you're also not helping others.
If I am a pessimist, I am irrational. If I am irrational, I am an idiot. I don't want to be an idiot, so I choose to be both extremely honest with myself, take ownership, and try to maintain optimism. This attitude in life is the most beneficial for myself since it maximizes my odds of becoming successful and be happy. That's why I purposefully choose to think like that.
Unfortunately people's attitude towards their jobs / careers are usually based on how they were raised and their own life experiences growing up. I usually tend to find those who had a humble background to be the ones that have the best attitudes at work.
You need to change your perspective on your situation by realizing how fortuante you are versus millions (even billions) of others out there. Go be a mentor to younger kids who are raised in lower income households or volunteer in a similar role. Also, read about stories of people who are now highly successful despite growing up with a horrible childhood (ie. Oprah Winfrey).
By getting outside of your bubble and realizing how different life is for a lot of other people, you will begin to appreciate your current situation more.
Once the world beats it out of you, the easiest way to get it back would be service to others.
Be honest with yourself and find out why you're being salty about life. Maybe get a therapist.
In addition to the previous comments, regular physical activity does wonders for your mental health. I'm recovering from a pretty intense surgery and I just mentally feel worse after not having been able to exercise for a couple months. Not sure how applicable this is to your situation, but it's a good thing to look into.
I struggle wit this too. I think I was able to overcome it to a slight extent by reading Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and listening to “always look on the bright side of life” (by Monty python) on repeat.
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