Just Behind the Door

Let’s make 2015 the ‘Year of Optimism.’ Visualize a place mat similar to one in a Chinese restaurant but on our mat written in big capital letters is simply the word Optimism. The word itself engenders a sense of hope, energy, excitement. Can you just imagine what would happen if we simply decided to live the rest of the remaining 358 days from a perspective of positive, optimistic thoughts? Our world would be changed forever. Montage Edwards has said that ‘Positive thinking is not the destination; it is the journey. An optimistic person will be constantly challenged by external circumstances as well as inner fears and doubts.’ He goes on to challenge us to think of these tests or lessons simply as a ladder and as we climb each rung our optimism strengthens our own self confidence and we develop a deeper sense of inner peace about our ability to handle whatever comes along.

Optimistic, positive thinking is not something we are born with but an habitual approach we choose to develop in life. It takes practice for any habit to become ingrained. Yet this particular habit reaps mountains of benefits that include our physical, mental and emotional well-being.

I have come to regard those people who choose to call themselves ‘resident critics’ as simply people who cannot muster the strength to practice positive thinking. That must be a sad state to live in. But they can choose to do something about it. All of us have challenges and disappointments. We live our life between two end points on a continuum. One end is aspirations and the other is limitations. Our challenge is to determine what point on the continuum we want to be at and simply do it! Events happen, challenges can temporarily seem to engulf us yet we all know successful, happy people who do not count the number of times they are knocked down because they are too busy getting back up to face another day. We can become just like them when we decide to live a life of optimism.

Optimistic people view the world as an opportunity to make a difference in both large and small ways. They accept responsibility when things go wrong and choose to seek the lesson in the experience. Each day they seem to become more rather than less. Life is no brief candle to them but a brilliant torch that they choose to burn brightly. You can easily identify these folks because they seem to gather people around them like a magnet. Somehow people can feel the energy they generate and want to be a part of it.

When we open our eyes tomorrow morning let’s think about the fact that it is a brand new day with both challenges and opportunities. Drinking our first cup of coffee or tea visualize the magnificence that we are privilege to be a part of as a smile slowly spreads across our face. The day will be exactly as we choose it to be – no more no less. What power we have in our own little corner of the world and just think … it all starts with our mindset.

Optimism is a habit – a very important one to nurture and develop as we live our life to the fullest before handing it on to future generations! Let’s commit to making 2015 the best year yet!

Have a great few days!