Category: Attitude

For National Optimism Month, I picked up Jon Gordon’s The Positive Dog and read it as part of my Social Distancing strategy.  I appreciated Gordon’s approach of contrasting the power of positivity against the pull of negativity. 

Since he spoke about a dog, I’ll share a little about our favorite pet.  Minnie (pictured above) has been part of our family since we returned from our year-long adventure in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2008.  I asked each of our kids to provide their thoughts on Minnie.  Here’s what they shared:

• Tanner (13):  Minnie tolerates me and lets me sit next to her sometimes. 
• Cody (17):  No matter the time of day I get home from school, she is always waiting for me by the door and is excited to see me.
• Katy (20):  Minnie is the sweetest dog, and she is like the sister I never had!  I can vent to her about anything, and she is such a great listener.  I love her spunkiness and how she always wants to be around all of us.  She is the perfect sixth member of our fam!

Gordon’s tale of The Positive Dog is a prime example of his company’s core principle that simple is powerful.  He explains, “The strategies in this book have grown sales revenue, motivated salespeople, improved team performance, developed positive kids, enhanced careers, improved marriages, and lead to greater individual and team success. The goal of this book is to take much of the research on positivity and make it simple, fun, and actionable so anybody, even a child, can benefit from feeding the positive dog.”

Click here to learn more

Perhaps in a twist of irony amid COVID-19 and the Coronavirus Pandemic, March is National Optimism Month.  Research gives us plenty of reasons to try to create some positive energy for ourselves. Optimism brings greater success, better emotional and physical health, more happiness, and less stress.

At the same time, being pessimistic may lead to higher levels of stress by introducing high levels of cortisol and other hormones into the bloodstream. In general, it is a good idea to remain positive in the face of health challenges, as you are more likely to exercise good self-care, attract positive people into your life, and enjoy the mental health benefits of social support.

So, it’s time to start practicing how to be more optimistic today.  To help, I’d like to turn to Helen Keller’s 1903 Essay entitled Optimism.  Helen Keller had every reason not to be an optimist.  Yet, she was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree and became an American author, political activist, and lecturer. The story of Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, was made famous by Keller’s autobiography, The Story of My Life, and its adaptations for film and stage, The Miracle Worker.

Click here to learn Optimism from Helen Keller