I am going to brag a bit (unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence). But this time it is not because of something I did, but something that I am benefitting from. You see, it’s about my garden. It looks great this year, and I had little to do with it. Tomatoes. Snap peas. Tomatillos. Sweet peppers. Zucchini. Sunflowers. Jalapenos. All looking like a picture out of a Farmers’ Almanac. So then why is it that my eyes often miss the greatness of this garden and instantly go to the few weeds that have slipped in?! 99% of the raised beds look fantastic, but when I walk through the garden every day, my eye will instantly find those one or two little weeds! It’s not that I totally miss the beauty or fruit in the garden. It’s just a matter of where I choose to focus. Optimism is like that. We should not necessarily ignore what is broken, but we should also find what is good in the midst of it. Sometimes we focus too much on the broken over the good. So here are five reasons why we can and should be optimistic today.
1. It sure beats pessimism.
Remember Eeyore, the donkey character on Winnie the Pooh? Pooh says, “What a lovely day, isn’t it?” And Eeyore responds, “If it is a good morning, which I doubt.” What a way to start your day! Who has ever succeeded in life by focusing only on what is broken? Think of a chronic pessimist. Does he have people lined up who want to follow him? Who want to work for him? Who give to his cause? Who desire to hang out with him? An overabundance of pessimism is deadening not only to the carrier but also to the people whom they sometimes infect. Think of it this way – an ounce of optimism can provide fuel for another day or week or year. But an ounce of pessimism can poison a healthy culture.
2. Something good is always present.
There are few people who have perfect mental health, physical health, marriages, relationships, and wealth all at the same time. But all of us do have something good to see and to celebrate. Perhaps your business is struggling in the midst of the pandemic, but you made payroll again and you have some great people on your team. Or, maybe you are battling cancer, but you at least have the finances to cover your medical expenses. You get the picture. If you search for good, it is always there.
3. People can and do change.
A few months ago, I crossed a major threshold – I turned 60. If you are as old as my mom, you think of me as a young guy. But if you are in your twenties or thirties, I am an old guy! My neighbors, the fun group that they are, covered my yard with signs… 60 of them! Each with a different phrase. My favorite one said this: “The best part of being sixty is that you did all your stupid stuff before the internet.” While I still do some stupid things, I don’t do nearly as much. That sign is a great reminder that people can and sometimes do change for the good. And that is worthy of optimism.
4. Heroes still exist.
I am not sure that what I am about to say is completely accurate, but it feels like TV news, as well as most news feeds, really like to focus on the dark stuff. To test my assumption, I opened one of my apps that collects news stories from multiple sources. Only one out of four stories was about something encouraging or hope-generating. As I was looking, I saw the story of a man who rescued a young woman who was drowning off of the New Jersey coast. He could have found many reasons not to act, but instead he chose to be a hero. In spite of the toxic news, heroes still do exist. And that is cause for optimism.
5. Grace abounds.
I am sure you are familiar with the story about the woman who called the police on the man who was watching birds while in Central Park. She claimed he was threatening her, which was not true. I don’t know him, but I was impressed by his response. After being fired from her job and being crushed on social media, she was then arrested for making a false police report. Yet, his response was so gracious. He told the District Attorney that he has no interest in supporting a criminal case against her and does not hold any ill will towards her, believing she already has paid a high enough price for her mistake. God shows us extraordinary grace by withholding the penalty we deserve for our own failings. How cool is it when we see that modeled in our relationships with others? Such grace is another reminder of why we can be optimistic.
6. Your turn: .
What is another reason you can think of for us to be optimistic today? Comment below!
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Jay Desko is the CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.
