Everything is going to be alright.

It’s not that optimism solves all of life’s problems; it is just that it can sometimes make the difference between coping and collapsing. – Lucy MacDonald

The ability to hope for the best when things are not going right is essential in navigating life’s ever-changing nature. Life is a roller coaster of challenges, trials, tribulations, vicissitudes and constant changes. It is extremely tough to stay optimistic when we are faced with the enormous strains of life, such as losing a loved one, losing a job, divorce, health & financial issues, and career not going as you want it to; it seems you are going from one storm to the other, you want to smile but a sigh is all you could muster, worry and anxiety is all around you; I know that feeling. We’ve all been there, no one lives a problem-free life; whatever would go wrong would eventually be wrong, but when things go wrong as they sometimes would, don’t go wrong with the present challenge you are dealing with. Don’t let success get to your head and don’t let failure get to your heart.

Your journey in life is going to get tough at some point; giving up might seem like an option but Don’t give up yet. The sun will rise tomorrow, this too shall pass, everything will be alright, and what you learn from the ordeal will make you a stronger person with character. When you are going through trials and tribulations, self-doubt and constant anxiety, it does not feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel but there is.

As author Jim Rohn Often said, Our life is like the changing seasons of life ¹.

Season of Spring – Window of opportunities, New Beginnings, Planting, Hope
Season of Summer – A time to nurture and protect, lots of distractions, growth signs
Season of Fall – Achievements, successes, wins
Season of Winter – heartbreaks, loneliness, despair, sickness, sadness

The tide comes in and then recedes; the sun rises, giving light, and then sets, bringing darkness. Drought plagues the farm field of the world, followed by rain in abundance. On this day, we swelter under the intense heat of the August sun, and soon we clothe ourselves against the penetrating cold of the mid-winter storm. Prosperity brings her abundant opportunity and rewards but will withdraw at a future time when confronted by a receding business climate.

The smile gives way to the tear, as does the joy to the sorrow and the jubilation to the tragedy. Close friends become hated enemies. The guns and bloodshed of war are followed by the stillness of a temporary peace.

Life and business is like the changing seasons. You cannot change the seasons, but you can change yourself. Therein lies the opportunity to live an extraordinary life, the opportunity to change yourself.

The confrontations, disappointments, and challenges of life are treated by each generation as though they are the first to experience such events, when in fact, the pre-Christian years saw the same occurrences both appear and dissolve.

For all of us, the only constant factor in life is our feelings and attitudes toward life. A major challenge faced by us all is that we learn to experience the changing of life’s cycles without being changed by them. To make a constant and conscious effort to improve ourselves in the face of changing circumstances is to assure a tolerance for the winters of life’s events, and to permit ourselves the full enjoyment of the blessings of life’s harvest come the autumn.

I like spring, but it is too young. I like summer, but it is too proud. So I like best of all autumn, because its leaves are a little yellow, its tone mellower, its colours richer, and it is tinged a little with sorrow and a premonition of death. Its golden richness speaks not of the innocence of spring, nor of the power of summer, but of the mellowness and kindly wisdom of approaching age. It knows the limitations of life and is content. – Lin Yutang

A king had four sons. To teach them an important lesson he had them visit a cherry tree in the deep forest of their kingdom.

During the peak of winter, he asked his eldest son to go and see the tree and return with a description. The prince came back and told his father, The tree is barren, old, and hopeless. Not even birds are coming near it. It looks useless and maybe it is better to cut it down and use the wood before it rots.” The wise King nodded and smiled.

In the middle of spring, the king asked his second son to visit the tree and return with a description. The second prince came back and said, “The tree is not barren, it is full of beautiful cherry blossoms and looks young and promising. It’s surrounded by butterflies and bees who are enjoying its flowers.” The wise King nodded and smiled.

That summer the king sent his third son to go to see the tree and return with a description. When the prince returned, he told his father, “There are no blossoms, and the tree is loaded with delicious cherries and looks mature and very healthy. Many birds are living on the tree and are enjoying the fruits.” The wise King nodded and smiled.

Finally, in autumn the king asked his youngest son to visit the tree and return with a description. The young prince returned and shared, “The tree has no fruit or flowers, but it looks beautiful, its colored leaves have lovely shades of gold, red and orange.” The wise King nodded and smiled.

A few days later the king gathered his sons, and again they each shared their description of the cherry tree. He then asked, “What did you learn from this experience?” The other three princes were still thinking when the youngest prince smiled and shared his thoughts:

We should not judge our life based on only the current season in our life.
Like the tree, we experience different seasons of life and we are greatly affected by them.
Every season has a purpose.
No matter whatever the current season is, it will change again.

The wise King nodded and smiled.

“Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the way it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.” – Virginia Satir

Optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome. Optimism is from French optimisme, from Latin optimum whuch means ‘best thing’. It is the abilty to see the best in every situation and making the best of the moment. Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Optimism ²is associated with all kinds of positive outcomes related to mental health, physical health, and relationships. You probably don’t need any more persuasion or instruction on positive reappraisal. You just keep on keeping on—see the silver lining of every cloud and the rainbows of every storm. Do you.

Meditation

Daily Calm with Tamara Levitt – Gratitude Countdown
The more we practice gratitude, the more our neurons activate around that positive experience, and the brain’s habits begin to rewire.
Gratitude Countdown – Chris Advansun
Here’s how this practice works:
Whenever I get caught up in negativity or seem to be in need of a dose of gratitude, he’ll start the exercise by calling out, “Gratitude Countdown,” which challenges me to list ten things I’m grateful for on the spot. He counts down from ten to one as I list off things that I’m grateful for – almost like a lightning round in a gameshow. After I go through my list, I return the challenge by calling out “Gratitude Countdown,” and then it’s his turn to recite a list.
Tamara Levitt’s Masterclass on Gratitude

Daily Jay with Jay Shetty – The Back Burner
Sometimes even when our desired destination is clear, life requires us to detour. Whatever your goals may be, it is not always feasible to go all in; but that does not mean we have to feel defeated or give up. Instead, we can focus on what is possible here and now.
Sometimes life lets us rush toward a goal but other times, it is more like playing a game of red light, green light, but with patience and perseverance, we can still get to where we want to go.

Podcast