Even the most optimistic person in the world experiences times in life when it is just downright hard to find a glimmer of sunlight in a situation. Times when you feel as though the storm is coming... the world is ending... the sky is falling. A child dies, a loved one is given a terminal diagnosis or is facing a drug addiction.
When I find myself in a deep, dark place in life, I seek out some sort of optimism (quotes, Bible verses, etc.) to help me cope. I have to share my discovery during my most recent quest - The Optimist's Creed. I found it to very inspiring and challenging. In fact, it's my new wall art in the office so I can remember the things that really matter.
Promise Yourself ...
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
A few things that jumped out at me...
"To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind" -- NOTHING. Not the screaming kids. Not the piles of laundry. Not the unexpected repair bill. Not a diagnosis. Not a death. Nothing means nothing. You've got to have a strong peace of mind (one that can only be found through Christ) to cope with those things.
"To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet." So often we equate health to being negative news. But it doesn't have to be! God is in the healing business and we don't talk enough about it! God has been speaking to me lately about opening my mouth and using my health testimony. I'm not big on divulging my life to strangers, so it's something that I've been working on.
"make your optimism come true." What we think plays a large part of who we become. We've all known a "Negative Nancy" in life and they are not pleasant to be around. If we think optimistically, we are bound to help the optimistic outlook come true. As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you are right"
"to be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own" Sure, we give people high fives, hugs and handshakes when they have accomplished something great, but deep down, are we TRULY happy for them? Or is there a nagging feeling of jealousy buried deep within?
"give every living creature you meet a smile" Ugh. I'm just not sure about smiling at a spider.... or a snake. Seriously though, this line might be the hardest, even if we eliminate animals. There are people in life who you just don't want to smile at. They are a thorn in your side. But a smile is a simple curve that can set a lot of things straight. It's true. You really can get through to people a lot easier by being nice to them rather than returning their ill moods and attitudes.
If we can follow the creed, we are bound to not only make our own lives more bearable, but we are probably going to impact those around us too. There are a lot of people with squeaky wheels who just need a little bit of optimistic oil squeezed into their lives. A few words or a simple smile can make a profound difference!
