Some people think that optimism is about living in a fantasy world where everything is nice and nothing bad ever happens.

I’m here to shed some light. When it comes to ‘optimism’ most people that meet me say that I am a very optimistic person and I will personally tell you that being optimistic takes courage.

If you have been following my blogs for the last 3 years you may gather that I am pretty optimistic. Police work can jade you, divorce can embitter you, the mortgage industry can depress you and people can constantly without fail – let you down. Yet through all that, I can tell you that optimism is a DECISION. Optimism is a choice. Optimism is an effort from the deepest recesses of the soul to accept ones current plight and make the best out of a difficult and trying situation.

Every day we are being tested. Every day new challenges arise. People change, situations change, economy changes, and our ability to remain optimistic will definitely be challenged against that which we fear: the unknown.

It takes courage to be optimistic. It takes fortitude to find the one aspect of a human being or situation that in that moment augments all that is ugly and negative. Yet it is in that moment where I challenge myself to find that ONE goodness in that person or that ONE goodness in what on the surface appears to be a bad situation. If you focus on the bad, you will see all of the bad. …and the opposite is true: look for good and you will find good.

There is a story about how optimistic people look at situations differently it goes like this: Two researchers were independently dispatched to one of the world’s least developed countries by a large shoe manufacturer. Their task: to assess the business possibilities within that country.

The first researcher came back to the manufacturer’s headquarters with his report: “No market here. Nobody wears shoes!” A few days later, the second researcher came back with his report – it read: “Great market here. Nobody wears shoes!”

If you find yourself down on the world and things aren’t going your way, I challenge you for a few minutes and seriously stop your foolishness (even for just a minute) and jot down 2 things that are good about the bad that is happening. If you are not used to this, it may take you a while to get over the negative wave but it’s okay if it takes longer, you must try and resist the urge to sulk and gloom. Focus on the good and you will notice something interesting will happen in your brain, like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day; you will shift into the zone of possibilities and hope.

Daisy Says: Look for good and you will find it.