Optimism: None of us Get Out Alive
What if I told you that every decision you make from here on out will never be the "wrong" one? These decisions won't necessarily be the right ones either. You see, it is all based on your perspective and experiences which shape your reality. We have all experienced life situations where you are faced with two choices - to go through door "A" or door "B". Often times we will wonder which is the best choice based on the risks associated with each, asking ourselves "what-if?" for every possible scenario. Does this sound familiar?
Human nature is to look at the down-sides - we, the human species, are innately risk-adverse and in most cases, pessimistic based on either past personal experiences or scenarios that have been observed overtime. There are many valid reasons for this type of behavior but it is often unproductive and quite frankly, stressful. Believe me, I have experienced it first hand. Life has taught me that optimism is a much more powerful tool - pessimism only drags you down in the end (have to thank my wife for that one!).
We can look to our friend Yogi Berra for some inspiration - "If you come to a fork in the road, take it". We have long laughed at this quote without always giving it further examination. To me, Yogi is telling us to leave it to fate and pick a path, any path. The truth is, if you want something badly enough, you will find a way to get it. Remember, there is no such thing as a "perfect" choice.
Instead of dwelling on the "what-ifs?" or the potential risks, we can take an optimistic view to any and all shortcomings, giving ourselves a pat on the back for making a decision to take a risk in the first place. Hind-sight is frequently 20/20, focus more on the positive and learn from the negative. After all, none of us will get out alive - you may as well be happy while you are here.
Be Optimistic!
