Karen McClintock shared "Optimism and Possibilities" in her blog.
Karen wrote:
Recently I was asked about my views of optimism. My response: that it is deeply rooted in the ability to see possibilities. Without this, one cannot be optimistic. An optimistic person sees opportunities in every situation, and searches for possibilities of how to reach it. There are always possibilities, you just have to look for them.
Having an optimistic mindset simply helps our experiences feel more fulfilling and enjoyable. While many believe that optimism is something we’re born with in more or less finite quantities, I believe that we actually have the ability to shape our thoughts and actions, including our outlook on events.
Today’s increasingly complex and uncertain world presents us with many challenges and opportunities never before experienced. It can be both daunting and exciting depending on how we look at things. Some will analyse these situations with a ‘glass half full or half empty’ view. This is an oversimplified truth that can be thought limiting. By believing the glass to be either half full or half empty, we do not think beyond or look at the possibility that there may be another option. Most people miss the point…. the glass is actually refillable. An optimistic person is open to new possibilities and sees beyond what is directly in front of them.
Thinking outside the box means we are being more creative, seeing more possibilities. I believe this is true, however it implies that the box remains. That one constraint continues as a hindrance in the thought process. Does it represent a fixed mindset that still exists in our thoughts? Is it the barrier that remains to prevent us from see more possibilities? Should we not be thinking like there is NO box? Our ideas and possibilities would then be unlimited. After all, to have ideas is to ask what’s possible, with imagination.
How do we then tap into the power of optimism?
For me it is more than looking for opportunities, it’s more about being open to many possibilities. What we see depends mainly on what we look for. We have to open our minds, take a second, third or even fourth look and consider the possibilities. It takes a lot of courage to step away from the familiar and secure, to embrace the new. After all, old ways won’t open new doors! Therefore, we need to release ourselves from the fear of the new and unfamiliar. When nothing is sure, everything is possible.
Some say you need to ‘look on the bright side of life’ but this is only successful if you see the shadows also. Having moments of sadness, makes us appreciate happiness more. Optimism is a perfect response to failure and mistakes. If there exists no possibility of failure, then victory is meaningless. It is a balance between light and dark. For even in the darkest of places, it is possible to create light. Colour is born of the interpretation of light and dark… and what a rainbow we can create. The possibilities are endless.
The day I stop looking for possibilities, will be the day optimism fades from my life. So, when I am feeling uncertain, confused or lost, I remind myself to look for the possibilities in the most unlikely of places. It is through my belief in infinite possibilities that I am passionate, energised and grateful for the opportunities around me. I have learnt to connect the space of knowing with the space of possibilities – This is what drives my optimism.
Thomas Edison, another persistent optimist, sums up my point quite simply…
“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this… you haven’t.”