How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles
Alyssa McCutchen Period 6 3/15/12 How My Optimism Helps Me Overcome Obstacles Optimism is such a funny thing. It has the capability to help you solve some of the most challenging and troublesome problems you’ll ever face in your entire life. This is exactly what optimism does for me. I have had some of the most challenging and troublesome things happen to me and using optimism during those times really helped me through them, and I honestly don’t think I would have made it through all of those times without using optimism.
During those times optimism came to me in any and every way, shape, or form. It would come to me if the sun was shining outside, from a verse in a song, from a text I would get, or sometimes even from playing a silly board game to pass the time. All of these things helped me to learn that “can do” attitude. That attitude where you feel like you can fly if you want to, that you can reach the highest peak in the tallest mountain, or that no matter how bad your situation may be it’ll get better. That attitude that shows optimism at it’s greatest.
When I was a little girl, there was always this one specific person that made me such a positive, energetic, and hopeful little girl. That one person happened to be the one and only Dr. Seuss. He was such a motivational person to me as I was growing up and he still is today. Everything he said stuck to me like a magnet, and made me think long and hard about what he was saying and what it meant to me. There was this one quote he said that has stuck with me ever since I was little, and it goes a little something like this, “Now I’ve heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead, some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat, I’m already you see. Now my troubles are going to have trouble with me. ” When I hear that quote I feel like Dr. Seuss is trying to say get up! Wipe that dust off of your back, stand up straight, and put a smile on your face. Look your obstacles in the eye and show them that you’re not going to back down. That you’re still as positive and strong as ever, and that you will never give up. Although a majority of that quote resembles perseverance, perseverance wouldn’t exist without optimism.
Optimism is such a funny thing. It has the capability to put a smile on someone’s face, to put a spring in their step, and to overall brighten there day. My own mother is a prime example of this. My mom has what is called Congestive Heart Failure. Congestive Heart Failure is the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow. Because of this my mom happens to be disabled, and can’t work or do a lot of physical activity. Even though she has so many reasons to be negative about life, she refuses.
Instead, she focuses on being a good, positive role model and mother to my Sister, and I. As Elbert Hubbard once said, “Optimism is a kind of heart stimulant- the diagnosis of failure. ” Optimism has brought me through some many things in my life, and I’m sure it always will. Because I know this, no amount of obstacles can knock me down. The Greek philosopher once said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves. ” As for me, I choose to be happy because I know I have optimism and that alone is more than enough.
In the words of William Ward, “Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering the room, others by leaving the room. Some individuals leave trails of gloom, others trails of joy. Some leave trails of hate and bitterness, others trails of love and harmony. Some leave trails of cynicism and pessimism, others trails of faith and optimism. Some leave trails of criticism and resignation, others trails of gratitude and hope. What kind of trails do you leave? ”
