"Job Seekers Never More Pessimistic" & How You Can Be the Exception

LinkedIn News dropped a churn-worthy headline this week:

"Job seekers are more pessimistic about landing a job these days than they were at the height of the pandemic."

The study claims that economic uncertainty is to blame, driving countless individuals to abandon corporate jobs for opportunities in consulting, freelance, and entrepreneurship.

But I think they are missing a bigger issue. And it's not just our political environment.

Our Collective Nervous System Under Siege

Our collective nervous system – not just the market – is under siege. The world has lived through wars, recessions, and political turmoil before. But never in history have we consumed this much chaos, at this speed or on this scale.

And it’s not just the headlines. It’s the anxiety loops – intentionally crafted and fed to us by apps, news agencies, and social platforms – engineered to hijack our brains and keep us locked in cycles of fight-or-flight.

Why? Because when we feel powerless and disconnected, we repeat the scroll . . . and click. And click. And scroll. And click and scroll some more. This biological manipulation fuels their engagement metrics and ad revenue while quietly convincing us there is no other option.

No wonder pessimism is at an all-time high.

But what these same apps and agencies will not tell you:

There *is* another path forward.

This level of pessimism isn’t a personality flaw or a natural state of existence. It’s a learned way of thinking – one that trains the brain to constantly scan for the next threat, the next shoe to drop, the next crisis to brace for. And just like it's learned, it can be unlearned.

The Power to Disrupt the Cycle

We have the power – and responsibility – to disrupt this cycle. To retrain our brains toward empowered optimism that allows us to weather whatever storm – political, economic, or otherwise – that comes our way.

The Grip of Negativity Bias

Our brains have evolved to pay more attention to danger than safety. It’s called negativity bias, and it was once a highly useful survival tool – keeping our ancestors alert to the abundance of threats and danger in the world around them. As a result, we are more sensitive to and can recall negative experiences, situations, or even vocabulary more easily than positive ones.

But in a world of push notifications and algorithms, that same mechanism is being used against us. We’re flooded with information our brains were never built to process at this scale. And we’re rarely given time to integrate, reflect, or even breathe before the next hit of updates and "breaking news" stories roll in.

The result? Our nervous system stays locked in overdrive and hyper-vigilance. We expect the worst and interpret nearly everything around us as a potential threat.

And when negativity bias becomes our default, it doesn’t just color our mood. It changes how we process and relate to ourselves, each other, and what we believe is possible.

The Research Behind Negativity Bias

Here’s what the research shows:

• Physiologically, persistent negative thinking raises cortisol, weakens the immune system, and disrupts our sleep.

• Cognitively, it narrows our focus and creativity – limiting our ability to solve problems effectively, see new pathways, or connect with strategic thinking.

• Emotionally, it fosters disengagement, apathy, and isolation – at home and at work.

  
  

So it should be no surprise that job seekers have never been more pessimistic. What's more? Entire industries are buckling under the weight of disengagement, turnover, and technological changes they cannot seem to navigate effectively.

Despite what some people would like to believe, this is not because "nobody wants to work anymore." It’s because we are experiencing widespread nervous system fatigue. It's showing up in boardrooms, job searches, classrooms, and our own homes. And it's time we do something about it.

Reclaiming Optimism Where We Are

The state of our current world might not be changing any time soon, but that doesn't mean we don't have the choice to change our relationship to it.

Contrary to popular belief, optimism is not about ignoring reality, being naïve, or pretending problems don't exist. We're not talking about toxic positivity here.

Empowered optimism is about training our brain to see the reality of our experience more fully, including the opportunities for growth, creative problem solving, and strategic solutions.

Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and responsible for one of my favorite TED Talks of all time, found in his research that when we begin practicing optimism, it significantly increases the flow of dopamine into our brain. This turns on our learning receptors and allows us to be far more adaptive.

This leads to impressive outcomes across all aspects of our life, including:

• 31% more productivity

• 3x greater creativity

• 37% better at sales

• 23% reduction in stress and burnout symptoms

  
  

Think we'd still be dealing with mass layoffs, leadership gaps, and such a pessimistic job market if we were experiencing those outcomes? Just imagine how different your life would be if you were 31% more productive, 3x's as creative, and experienced 23% less anxiety. Talk about a game-changer.

5 Strategies to Cultivate Optimism

Below are a few research-backed strategies to help you start rebuilding your mental muscles – gently, intentionally, and consistently. Practice these for just a few minutes a day, and you can significantly shift your optimism levels within weeks.

1. Highlight of Your Day

Journal about 1-3 positive experiences you've had over the last 24 hours. This allows your brain to relive the moment and signal that those moments are important. Anyone who knows me knows that this has been at the foundation of my own transformation the last few years. This practice alone improved my sleep, my energy, and my creativity in powerful ways.

2. Curate What You Consume

Reflect on what articles, apps, or stories are depleting or triggering you the most. Begin to shift your focus accordingly. Shut off notifications, create app limits, or intentionally replace them with something more fulfilling.

3. Feel-Good Fitness

Make space for movement and exercise that is fun or feels good to you. Dancing, yoga, or (my current favorite) power-walks to the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack – make it your own. Studies have found that dancing to music you love for just 5 minutes can boost your mood by over 30%.

4. Meditation

Sit in silence, put on a nice soundscape, or follow along with a guided meditation (I use the Calm app myself). Breaking the cycle of constant stimulation, output, and cultural ADHD allows our brains the space to breathe, process what we've been experiencing, and prepare for what's to come.

5. Recognition Ripple

Do one random act of kindness for someone in your life or network. Send a thank-you card, make a call, grab them their favorite coffee, or whatever feels best for the person you're thinking of. This not only sparks connection, purpose, and joy, but it also allows the recipient to experience many of the same effects.

Final Thoughts

Although certain apps, sites, and organizations profit when you’re stuck in fear, you get to choose how you meet the moment.

Pessimism might be the popular headline of the week, but it doesn’t have to be your personal narrative. You can reclaim your attention, rebuild your mindset, and show up with purpose – even when things are uncertain.

You don’t need perfect conditions to start experiencing optimism. You just need one clear reminder:

Your energy is better spent creating the future than fearing it.

You’ve got this.

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If you'd like support in cultivating a more optimistic, empowered life, I'd love to talk! Please check out my coaching services or schedule your first 1-on-1 coaching session today.