Optimism

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

-- Alexander Graham Bell

Optimism, or positive thinking, can help families feel hopeful during times of negative situations. They tell themselves “I can,” rather than “I can’t.” They see the glass as “half full,” rather than “half empty.”

Key Points

Strong families change their focus from what they have not done to what they can do. From what they do not have to what they do have. From where they have not been to where they can go. From their weaknesses to their strengths.

Strong families are optimistic about the present and future and aspire to:

be so strong that nothing can disturb their peace of mind;

look at the sunny side of everything and make their optimism come true;

think only the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best;

be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as they are about their own;

forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future;

give so much to the improvement of self that there is no time to criticize others; and

be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy for the presence of trouble