The Power of Optimism

As a life coach and addictions advisor, I teach people how to manifest their dreams. It's easier than it seems as just two years ago I was on the verge on homelessness, and I now live in an affluent suburb with a book that is about to be published. My clients tell me that people gravitate toward me because of my optimism. I also provide hope during these dystopian times. These two attitudes have allowed me to go far in life.

The best way to look at like I think, is to think of a climbing a mountain. Life is like climbing a mountain - once you realize it's always hard work, somehow that acceptance makes life easier. You don't sweat the small stuff. Instead of looking at the insurmountable obstacles ahead, look at the progress you've made below. Instead of wondering what I will do with the rest of my life, and allow a feeling of existential dread to set in, I choose to pat myself of the back for how far I've come. Instead of looking UP the mountain at my struggles ahead, I look DOWN the mountain and think wow, that was easier than I thought. If not easy at times, at least slow and steady can win the race sometimes.

Whether it is the context effect, the placebo effect, or my vision board, everything I think comes into existence. It's the power of positive thinking. I told my peers I wouldn't let my disabilities win, and now they appear to be in remission. I told my best friend that I would as prolific as a writer as Ray Bradbury, and I have a book deal, with many more books in the works. I created a vision board at a retreat with memoirs, vacations, and romance on it as well as a reversal in fortune, and it all has come true. The journey of one thousand miles, begins with one step, but don't expect to master all five hundred steps in a day. Life doesn't work that way either.

I like to think people are just house plants with more complicated emotions. When you plant a petunia and it doesn't grow, you don't blame the pentunia, you blame the care of the petunia. Maybe you didn't water it regularly, maybe you didn't give it enough sunshine. Maybe there are too many animals in the yard, maybe too many weeds. Our minds, and our lives are like the petunia. We tend to water our weeds, instead of our pentunias. Our minds become overcrowded with negative thoughts. Those negative thoughts are weeds that we allow to roam our mind with impunity.

I left my home town, and it was the best thing I ever did. I don't hate my hometown, they just didn't have the same mindset I did. Mindset is everything. I'm now blooming like a petunia. My multiple disabilities are in remission and my career is flourishing. They say that wherever you go, you take yourself with you. I'm not sure that is true. In my hometown, I'm a fall down drunk with no future. In my new town, I'm an upper-class sober author, beautiful and vibrant - young at heart at the age of 52.

Start small by expanding your horizons through a new hobby. Did you always want to become a better speaker? Try Toastmaster's International. Did you ever want to learn how to make a quilt? Look for sewing classes in your area. Did you want to travel more? Look at road trips in your area. It's perfectable acceptable to have lofty goals, but those goals can feel overhwhelming and carry the weight of the gold they're attached to.

I know at this point, it sounds cliche, but start a gratitude list. Just simply start watering the petunias instead of the weeds.

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