Unbridled Optimism

I am an unapologetic optimist.

Almost a Pollyanna-style hoper.

And a never-say-die dreamer.

For a very long time, I’ve cultivated the ability to see the silver lining around every dark cloud.

Not that I’m in denial of reality.

No.

But though I appreciate and accept that things can go wrong, I consistently choose to believe that they won’t.

And guess what?

They don’t!

Not often.

A couple of weeks back, a dear friend called in despair.

I urged her to stay hopeful. But privately wondered if maybe I had been a bit over-optimistic.

Well, guess what?

A miracle happened.

A donor heart became available.

A transplantation was done.

And now my friend is happy again.

Did unbridled optimism win?

Absolutely!

Would a dark, hopeless, “realistic” outlook have changed this outcome?

Maybe not.

But would it have been helpful? Productive? Desirable?

No way!

Even if you have a long track record of terrible outcomes, piled up disasters, and horrendous bad luck, there’s no reason why a positive, hopeful outlook can’t help… in the interim.

And yet, optimism isn’t natural.

In fact, nurturing a mindset that instinctively latches onto the good in any situation… is hard work.

A great guide that helped me with this is Viktor Frankl‘s brilliant book, ‘Man’s Search For Meaning‘.

That, and an amazing attitude my little ‘heart kids‘ embrace every day, as they fight through life-threatening battles against congenital heart disease.

Also just as vital was my childhood storybook, ‘The Little Blue Engine‘.

That’s why I’ve set my daughter a daily ‘homework’ task.

To wake up each morning – and read it once!

Yes, every day.

Because re-programming your brain to believe in good outcomes isn’t instantaneous – or easy!

But definitely worth doing.

Try it.

🙏