Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress. ~Nicholas M. Butler

Now I have to be honest, I queue up these quotes a week in advance, usually on a Sunday night.  So I find it incredibly ironic that today’s quote is about optimism on a day when my optimism is flagging, and by flagging I mean I’m seeing the hole in the doughnut, my glass isn’t just half empty, it has a gaping hole in the bottom and the water is draining out in a deluge.  Yes, people, I am having what is called a BAD DAY.  The question is, how am I going to deal with it?  Like I always say, I have choices.  I can put a smile on my face, and ignore all the stuff that is going on, I can totally immerse myself in all the stuff and let it suck me right down, or I can accept the fact that things aren’t going well, RIGHT NOW and start looking for ways to change it.  Ignoring it sounds good but I’m always telling my students that ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away.  I can wallow – and honestly, that’s sounding pretty good right now, or I can accept that at this moment in time, things aren’t great, but the power to change it lies in ME.  I think that’s the path that I’m going to take, after a few minutes of wallowing, because hey, everyone deserves a good wallow now and again. 

But the quote is true – you have to be optimistic.  It makes getting through the day so much easier and without it, those hopes goals and dreams you have, well they probably won’t come to fruition.  So make the wise choice – take the path marked optimism.