Are You An Optimist?

When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote down “happy.” They told me that I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them that they didn’t understand life.
~ John Lennon

I love this quote, and after  I posted it on Facebook recently, one friend commented about being graded poorly in first grade because he didn’t color in the picture of a chicken. My friend figured that the teacher had missed the white crayon covering the chicken. He actually showed it to her and she gave him a better grade. He did understand the assignment!

Are You An Optimist?

Sometimes, we go through life wondering if we have missed the assignment for OUR lives. I hear it all the time during my workshops and coaching sessions.  I am always amazed, though, at how we emerge from divorce, loss, or betrayal with wisdom and hope for the future.  Even a small dose of being an optimist, immunizes us from fear.  Optimism is like a tincture for courage.

The world is quite a mess these days. How do we stay optimistic and be an optimist about the future when we are blasted with news of doom and gloom from all sectors of the globe?  What I have noticed is that human beings, since the beginning of time, have moved beyond their pain to reach new heights, in spite of the seeming evidence at hand.

As I prepare to leave for Italy to lead my Third Annual Italy Retreat for Women to Live La Dolce Vita, I am  thinking about optimism because recently I read an eye-opening article about optimism in Time Magazine.

The premise of the article is that we are, by nature, optimists.  Surprised at first, I immediately realized from my life’s work with individuals that this is so true. The article proves that, “The scientific evidence points to the conclusion that optimism may be hardwired by evolution into the human brain.” The researchers believe that our brains are not just imprinted by the past, but are being shaped for the future.

Without optimism, my Italian born grandparents, and millions of other immigrants, would never have left behind their families behind to sail to America, without knowing what lay ahead.

If you’d like a deeper understanding of the workings of
our brains, check out the article in Time Magazine.  In the meantime, know that our brains are part of our support team in life. Let’s use it, and continue to believe that life is a precious gift that we will mold into something fantastic, in spite of all odds.

Let’s give ourselves the gift of self-discovery and journey together toward optimism beyond our wildest imagination.
Years ago, I optimistically decided to teach my  Option Method Workshops and travel with the course participants in Italy.  And now, I am on my ay for the 3rd Annual Italy Retreat for women.

I will write my next post from Italy. Hope you can join me on my Italy Retreat to LIVE LA DOLCE VITA next year!

What has the gift of optimism brought into your life? Would love to hear from you.