Positive Living

The Pollyanna Principle

This morning I received an email from my daughter, Terri. She suggests that I give serious thought to a "positive living" course/seminar/blog... any or all!!! as she puts it. I thought I'd think about what I'd write in a blog first...

My mother was one of the most positive, optimistic, loving people I've ever known. She did an incredible job of embedding optimism into my psyche without being obvious about it. She did it by example. In my lifetime, I can only remember one time when she chastised me for being negative - calmly and without critical tonality. That memory is as clear in my mind as it was the day it happened. Her words to me were, "Why would you think something like that?"

So why would we or do we think or say negative thoughts and words? Why do we let ourselves go down that perilous path? How can we "think, speak and live positively."

I have been accused by friends and associates of being a Pollyanna. You know, that girl who always sees the best in everything, the sunny side of the street on a cloudy, rainy day? Or that boy who looks for the pony in the pile of manure he was given for his birthday while his negative, pessimistic twin brother is unhappy, disappointed and angry because to him the huge pile of gifts he was given only presented problems. 

The title of the speech/seminar/blog can / could be The Pollyana Principle or Pollyannaish and Proud of It!

Is optimism innate or is it learned? Like many characteristics, we often assume it is innate. Assuming it is innate, can it be learned? Consider the many common habits you have. The things you do without even thinking about them. Were you born with them or did you add them to your mindset over a period of time. What about the myriad of actions you take automatically or you feel as if you must do no matter what?  For example. Which side of the bed do you sleep on? Were you born sleeping on that side of the bed? Can you not allow yourself to go to bed without brushing your teeth? Were you born  brushing your teeth? Humph! You didn't even have a toothbrush when your were born much less teeth.

Authors have made fortunes writing books on optimism. Just ask Google. There are so many that now a backlash has occurred from the naysayers who postulate that optimism and positive thinking undermine the importance (according to them) of being realistic, planning, creative thinking, etc., etc., etc.

What can you do, or encourage others to do, to become more optimistic. I'm not suggesting you become a Pollyana like I am, I'm just suggesting a few minor changes... at first. Who knows what will happen next.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be surrounded by optimistic people? Wouldn't your friends and coworkers prefer it if you were more positive? Just think about it.