Ocean View
by Janet

Always Optimistic

Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.

David Brooks

Always Optimistic. That’s right. If the featured image threw you off—there’s a reason for that. First of all, I’ve contemplated taking images out of the equation altogether—at least while working on The Alphabet Game. It’s a bit daunting to write from the heart AND create an image to match.

BUT, I have tried to stick with it. This morning I had my “O” words prepped and ready to go…. Ocean & Olives. The great debate was “should the image reflect the Ocean?” Or “should I take a photograph of five black olives perched on the tips of my fingers?” Remember doing that as a kid??

I LOVE olives. I also love the ocean. As you can see, the ocean was the victor (ok I was too lazy to set the self-timer & photograph my hand).

Anyway… the point I’m trying to make is that—although I love the ocean, and I most certainly love my olives—I did some more research on the “O” words (google search) and I realized that there’s an “O” word that I LOVE more than any other “O” word around.

Optimism

Yes indeed. Optimism is synonymous with Hope, and as many of you know… I lived without Hope before and Hope to never go back there!

Optimism is believing in the unseen.

I’m a die-hard optimist… through and through… and I am forever grateful for that. Anyway, I found the quote and it was perfect. Almost. There IS something I’d like to add.

I tread carefully around the word “success.” Success—to me—is knowing how to be joyful and content ‘in spite’ of negative (there’s that old “N” word again!) circumstances, or outside forces. And yes things can and will go wrong. It’s inevitable.

So… I think this edit works better…

“If you are an optimist, if you believe that the future will be better, and you know that you have the power to make it so—or to change how you respond to the things that you are powerless over—then you ARE a success.”

Period.

That’s my two cents.

—Janet

Thank you for reading!! I hope you’ll join me again when I tackle the “P” word! 😉

21 Comments

  3. Yes, optimism comes to me when I believe I can “change how you respond to the things that you are powerless over.” When I run old tapes of how I can’t don’t won’t respond in new ways, is when I start getting nervous about what is happening. Confirming faith in myself is opening to optimism.

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  5. 3 wonderful “O” words, all worthy. Olives may be my favorite food; certainly something I’d request at my final meal … couldn’t live without Oceans … and, where’d we be without Optimism? Thank you, Janet 😊

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  6. What a wonderful post! I’m an ocean/beach fan too…and I’m smiling at the image of you wearing olives on your fingers 🙂 🙂 Blessings to you!

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    1. Haha thanks Rob! Oh I never tried them with anchovies….very interesting. I do love them stuffed with jalapenos or garlic so anchovies just might work. 🤔

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