Terry Teague Meyer - Optimism

Published in 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Meyer, Terry Teague.

Optimism/by Terry Teague Meyer.1st ed.New York: Rosen, 2014
p. cm.(The 7 character strengths of highly successful students) Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9545-8 (library binding)

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9561-8 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9562-5 (6-pack)

1. OptimismJuvenile literature. 2. Optimism. 3. Positive psychology.

4. SuccessPsychological aspects. I. Title.

BF575.O67 .M49 2014

149.5

Manufactured in the United States of America

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #S13YA: For further information, contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York, at 1-800-237-9932.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1
OPTIMISM AND ITS OPPOSITE

CHAPTER 2
TALKING TO YOURSELF

CHAPTER 3
LEARNING OPTIMISM

CHAPTER 4
SPREADING OPTIMISM

INTRODUCTION

T elevision stations all around the United States reported on Dawn Logginss graduation from high school in Lawndale, North Carolina, in the spring of 2012. A straight-A student, Dawn was the first in her town to be headed to Harvardon a full-tuition scholarship. But what made the national media and millions of Americans take note was the fact that Dawns parents had abandoned her before her senior year. The young woman had to work as a school janitor in order to support herself.

Despite her personal problems, Dawn kept up her grades, held leadership positions in her school, and, all by herself, dealt with the complicated process of applying to colleges. Graduating from high school and getting a scholarship to a top university is a challenge for any student. How did someone with so many obstacles to overcome succeed in spite of all that could have held her back?

Psychologists (scientists who study the human mind and human behavior) also wonder why some individuals succeed in situations so difficult that most people fail or give up trying. Scientific studies have shown that certain personal qualities lead to success in life. Fortunately, someone doesnt have to be born with these qualities. Anyone can learn and develop them through practice. Optimism, a sense of hopefulness and confidence about the future, is one of these key characteristics.

Optimism and community support carried Dawn Loggins from poverty and homelessness to a bright future as a Harvard student.

In the case of Dawn Loggins, her positive attitude helped her see beyond the poverty and abandonment that characterized her childhood. Instead, she looked ahead to the college education that would help her create a better life. When her parents abandoned her, she didnt tell herself that it was her fault. She had confi-dence in her intelligence and looked for support among teachers and administrators at her school. Having overcome many disadvantages to become an outstanding student, she could visualize herself meeting the challenges of college. Rather than assume a university as competitive as Harvard would not accept her, she aimed high and was rewarded for her belief in herself and her hard work. Dawn expressed her optimism when she told Vivian Kuo of Cable News Network (CNN), I know my future is going to be great.

Once her story was publicized, Dawn received well-wishes and donations from people all around the world. She hopes to use this money to start a nonprofit to help other needy teens in her area. Optimism helps individuals do great things and seems to have a positive ripple effect. Once optimistic people get past the obstacles in their lives and reach their personal goals, they tend to want to help others. And most optimists do not merely think about helping others. They take direct and concrete action to do whatever is needed to make it happen.

Studies show the benefits of an optimistic approach to life. Some people are born optimists. But an optimistic attitude can also be learned and become a habit. Some schools have begun teaching optimism and other positive character strengths along with subjects like math and language arts. What is optimism? How does someone become more optimistic? And what good things can result from making a positive attitude a habit? The answers lie just ahead.

CHAPTER 1

OPTIMISM AND ITS OPPOSITE

T he word optimism comes from the Latin word for best thing. It describes an attitudea way of thinkingof expecting most situations to turn out well. The opposite of optimism is pessimism. The difference between these two attitudes or habits of mind is often illustrated by the way someone would describe a glass filled midway to the top. The optimists view is that the glass is half full; it is on its way to becoming complete. The pessimist would describe the same glass as half empty; its water will soon be used up.

Optimists view life with a positive attitude. Many people are born optimists, but others can learn optimism and make it a habit.

When we talk about whether someone is optimistic or pessimistic, we are describing a personality trait, not just a way of seeing a given situation. A trait is something that distinguishes one person from another. Brown eyes, curly hair, or a round face are physical traits. What we call personality is a combination of nonphysical traits that make a person unique (unlike anyone else). Lets say that Sally is shy around strangers, she loves dogs, shes always on time, and she prefers outdoor activities to playing video games. All of these and many other habits, behaviors, and attitudes make Sally different from her family, friends, or anyone else. If Sally is an optimist, she most often sees situations in a positive light. Even if things go wrong, she doesnt expect a bad situation to be permanent.

ITS ALL HOW YOU LOOK AT IT

An optimist (someone with a positive outlook) and a pessimist (someone with a negative outlook) would typically view the same situations differently. Because they dont see things the same way, they behave and react differently. These differences in behavior, in turn, affect their relationships with others and the directions their lives take.

Optimism can give someone the confidence to try out for activities, like a team sport. But the individuals success in any area also requires hard work, dedication, and practice.

Consider how an optimist and a pessimist would view typical school situations. When trying out for a sports team, a role in the school play, or to be ranked in a school band, the optimistic student expects to be successful. The optimists attitude promotes success by providing the confidence to help him or her perform well. An extreme pessimist might not even show up for tryouts. He or she would not expect to be chosen and might want to avoid the pain of being rejected. Expecting failure is a bad way to prepare for success. When taking a test, the optimist has the advantage of being more confident about the outcome. The pessimist is more likely to be nervous and less able to recall what was learned.