Oh if you only knew me when. Back when I was a sulking teenager and twenty-something the world was harsh, no cruel. How could I be happy or optimistic when there is was much pain and suffering in the world? How could I be happy when I had not written my first symphony by the age of twenty, no twenty-five, no thirty? How could I be optimistic about my career when there are so many people smarter and more talented than me and how was I going to make my mark on the world?
It was too much.
After I went through some life events that I briefly discussed in My Complete Failure I changed and my world view changed. Below are five simple reasons why today, I am optimistic.
First; I live in a safe and secure country. As a resident of Arizona I do not have to fear that New Mexico or Utah might invade my state (California might), I do not have to fear that terrorists will blow-up my university, or a civil war break out causing carnage and pain.
Second; I was born to a middle class family and did not experience trauma during my upbringing. I have had opportunities that others have not had but most people in the US today have opportunities abound compared to other countries or the past. We do not live in one of the 100+ countries where people have to fight just to survive.
Third; I have no complaints about my journey. Although my career path has gone a completely different way than I had planned when I was 16, I have no complaints. Throughout my life my failures have been learning opportunities, ways to self-reflect, re-direct, and improve.
Fourth; not everyone is healthy and I am blessed to be healthy. I eat right, I stay active, and do not abuse my body.
Finally; I have decided to be optimistic. I do not think that if you believe in happiness wealth will soon follow like some self-help philosophies espouse but I do believe that if you are positive and optimistic about yourself and the future, good things will happen. Along the way you still have to work hard, play well with others, and be actively engaged in your own optimism.
At this point where I am closer to 40 than 30 I have learned to enjoy life and take each day as it comes. I do not think I am particularly wise or insightful but I am amazed how so many people who are similar to myself decide not to be optimistic. I am especially surprised how many people in higher education, people with countless degrees, creativity, and ‘smartness’ in droves are not optimistic about themselves or the future and are often actively negative. But maybe they know the truth and are negative because of a keen insight into what is and what will be while people like me, who decide to be optimistic, are just naive.
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