There is plenty of chaos in the world lately.  Ask any two people, and you may get two completely different perspectives on what issue is most important, and which side of the issue is most right.

Either way, there are a lot of issues.  A lot of perspectives.  And a lot of people telling you the right thing to do.

It can be overwhelming.  Disheartening.  Frustrating.  Depressing.  Anxiety-inducing.  Saddening.  Confusing.  Angering.  Threatening.

It can be a lot of things.  But it certainly doesn’t feel good sometimes.

Frankl talks of “Tragic Optimism” – “an optimism in the face of tragedy and in view of the human potential…”

In Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, Southwick & Charney state, “Optimism ignites resilience, providing energy to power the other resilience factors.  It facilitates an active and creative approach to coping with challenging situations.”  I believe we could mostly all agree life has been somewhat “challenging” lately?

The continue, “in short, research has shown that optimism and positive expectations tend to promote active striving, while pessimism and negative expectations are associated with feelings of weakness and helplessness that may lead to unhelpful behaviors such as self-pity, resentment, denial, and avoidance of problems.”  Optimists, Southwick & Charney’s research, “are more likely than pessimists to report that their lives are MEANINGFUL.”

So then, what exactly is this “OPTIMISM?”

It is NOT, as some may think a “blind faith”, or one that ignores life’s problems.  Nor is it the donning of “rose-colored glasses.”

True optimism is a healthy and realistic view of the world.  It is an active choice – dare I see it is a SERIES OF MEANINGFUL DECISIONS that cultivates a healthful and realistic optimistic view.

In Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, they suggest four ways to actively choose an optimistic perspective:

1. Focus attention on positive things around us.
2. Intentionally think positive thoughts and do not dwell on negative thoughts.
3. Reframe the negative and interpret events in a more positive light.
4. Behave and take action in ways that build positive feelings.

I’ll offer some suggestions I have personally tried in the past few months.

1. Turn off the television.  Or at least turn off the heart-pounding sensationalist headlines that lead to anxiety.  You will get the information you need to survive one way or another.  If you like some entertainment in the evening, find something funny to watch – a good series of comedies even.  Research tells us the more humor we put in to our brains, the better we feel.
2. Take a break from social media.  Whether that means deleting the app or simply spending less time scrolling.  It seems to become a quagmire of chaos and negativity – not optimism.
3. Get active.  Go for a walk, run, bike ride, hike, float down the river, canoe trip, paddle boat ride, etc.
4. With that, get out into nature.  Nothing clears the mind like a nice breeze on a sunny day.
5. Get a puppy.  Well, that may take more planning than you’re ready for right now, and I would NOT recommend taking that suggestion lightly, but it’s something I tried recently – after a few months, maybe years, of discussion around our house, we adopted an 8-week old puppy this summer.  Waking up multiple times a night, spending hours each day romping around the yard releasing all that puppy energy really prevents you from focusing on much else in life.  But the joy and comedy a puppy bring certainly fosters some optimism.  Gratuitous image of “Daisy” below.

Also, if you are looking to cultivate a more optimistic perspective, as well as a more overall sense of resilience in your life, I highly recommend Southwick & Charney’s book.

Finally, if you want to hear more ideas on Resilience, Optimism, and Meaning, head on over to The Meaning Project Podcast where you normally listen to podcasts, or here on Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-meaning-project

And, as always, if you have questions or comments, feel free to email me at DrDan@DanielAFranz.com or follow me on Facebook at Dr. Daniel A. Franz.