"Optimist" and "pessimist" are useful categories, but they are future oriented.

I am interested in a present oriented analogue of optimist and pessimist. So here are two new terms:

Faultfinders

and

Boonfinders

"Faultfinders" see the way things are bad, the way things could be improved, the subtle costs.

"Boonfinders" see the way things are good, the way things make them happy, the subtle benefits.

Pessimists have a lack hope.

They predict the sandwich they will order from a new restaurant won't be good.

Faultfinders have a lack of gratitude.

They can't enjoy the sandwich that's in their mouth.

Boonfinders tend to be happier people, and I think most people should aim to be boonfinders.

But faultfinders improve things—if we were constantly meditating on how lovely the thatched hut was, we would probably never have built Milan Cathedral.