Optimism Equals Self-Empowerment… and a Higher IQ?
Recently, I’ve struggled to find the time and energy to write something inspiring. There’s been laundry, late evenings at the office, family and social commitments, and, above all, the change from daylight savings time. Boy, I’ve been tired! However, I don’t intend to do a bunch of complaining. Instead, I’m optimistic that I’ll get at least one more load of clothes washed today. My optimism means that I will equate a busy workday to proof of my success. My optimism means that I will be grateful to have a family to love and friends who enjoy my company. I’m also optimistic that I will soon adapt to whatever time change just happened to make the days seem even shorter!
I started thinking about what being an optimist means when I recently read this quote by David Landes: “No empowerment is so effective as self-empowerment. In this world, the optimists have it, not because they are always right, but because they are positive. Even when wrong, they are positive, and that is the way of achievement.” Self-empowerment, being positive even when wrong, and way of achievement – I like being aligned with those concepts.
Then I decided to look up the word optimism in the dictionary. The first definition of the word is, “A tendency to expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the most hopeful aspects of a situation.” Etymology: French optimisme, from New Latin optimum, the greatest good. (Source: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) Isn’t that outstanding? The word optimism comes from the word optimum. The concept of “greatest good” is also pretty darn outstanding!
Then I did a Google search and found some interesting stuff. Have you ever heard of Optimist International? Apparently, they’ve been around since the early 1900’s. They’re an organization made up of clubs whose mission states: “Providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids.” If you’re interested, the Optimist Creed is on their website, too.
Optimism, according to Wikipedia, “…exemplifies a lifeview where one looks upon the world as a positive place. Optimists generally believe that people and events are inherently good. They have a so-called ‘positive’ outlook on life, believing that things will work out in the end.” Yep – that’s me! Wikipedia also says: “According to a ten-year-long research project, it is proven that possessing an optimistic world view increases one’s IQ by at least ten points.” And “Personal optimism correlates strongly with self-esteem, with psychological well-being and with personal health.”
The bottom line is this… since I already know, even without scientific studies and miscellaneous research projects, that positive attracts positive, I will certainly continue to choose the optimist’s world view and, therefore, self-empowerment. If I gain a few IQ points along the way, that’s all the better!
