![]() Take the situation you are in and try to see it from different perspectives-call on an imaginary panel of people you respect real or fictional-what would their take be? Borrow the collective wisdom of the world as a way of getting out of a rut. One: Don’t force yourself to think positively! Recession? What recession?! We might as well try Dorothy’s strategy of clicking our ruby slippers together and saying, “there’s no place like home.” Optimistic thinking is thinking accurately, it’s not about sugar coating the truth or lying to yourself, because lying gets you into trouble-even with yourself. So if you’re looking for ways to tap into some inspiration aside from replaying the Inauguration on youtube, here are some ideas to safely “go optimistic” It will be the mindset that encourages sound and practical ingenuity and shines the light on the way out. Optimism won’t be the reason why people lose money or lose jobs. It’s about thinking accurately, making calculated risks, and when things go wrong, seeing those setbacks as temporary, and using innovation, flexibility and resilience to learn from the fall and move forward. It’s not about pretending that all is well or avoiding the niggling details like the billion dollar loan coming due one day. Optimists look for opportunities for growth and positive change, but importantly stay tethered to reality. Denial, greed, and short-sightedness, maybe, but not optimism. Optimism isn’t the culprit in our current economic troubles as some have suggested. But it’s not because they are in massive denial. Research in Positive Psychology, spearheaded by founder Martin Seligman, tells us that those who adopt an optimistic mindset are healthier, less prone to depression, live longer, and lead happier more satisfying lives. Control over some things is exactly what we need when problems are of such epic proportions.Īt a time when our mental health threatens to crash along with the markets, optimism may also buffer and prevent that fall. Mobilizing our sense of agency gives us an active role and a sense of control. It’s about work and effort, something each of us is capable of doing in our own way. No, our marching orders were clear: “it’s time to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and start rebuilding America.” We were given an assignment, and a direction and that was the springboard for our inspiration. President Obama did not tell us in his speech to go home and think good thoughts, or download Bobby McFerrin’s classic, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!” on our iPods. Pepsi can tweak their logo into a happy face, but it’s going to take more than a wink and a smile to get us out of these devastatingly complex times. The idea that optimism is about blind faith and happiness just isn’t so. Are we borrowing ahead on catastrophe, playing up the despair, or are we staying with the facts, looking for the opportunities and making predictions that we can realize by our own actions? The choice is ours. While we don’t have control over the goings on in Washington, or on Wall Street, we do have control over how we interpret the dramatic events playing out in our own lives. The key is tuning in to how you are narrating the story of the events of your life. Optimism combines having a positive vision of the future with the substantive steps to get there. ![]() ![]() It’s about seeing the glass half full, not deluding ourselves into thinking that glass is filled with champagne when it’s really only tap water in an IKEA tumbler. Optimism is about seeing potential and working creatively with-but not being limited by- the challenges. The short answer is, yes it’s not only safe, it’s essential. What gives? What does it really mean to be optimistic? Aren’t we leaving ourselves unprepared? Is optimism another unwise strategy that looks too good to be true, because it is? How can it be OK to see things in a positive light when we are inundated with bad news, afraid to open our 401k statements, or look in our boss’s eyes? Is it really safe to be an optimist amidst the doom and gloom? Is it possible in the worst of times to see the best possibilities? And if it is possible, is it desirable? According to a US News and World Report poll, a full sixty percent of Americans said that President Obama’s inauguration made them “feel more hopeful about the next four years.” While the economy’s growth charts are crashing, various news outlets are reporting a surge in spirit. ![]()
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