McGinnis advises his audience to participate in a practice in which you write down everything you are thankful for and then imagine each of those things being taken from you. If you can, "consciously enumerate things for which you are grateful", you will be more able to rid your life of selfishness and greed. Practicing thankfulness and performing service are two of the most therapeutic tools an optimist uses on a daily basis. Routines for Developing Optimism/Choosing Happiness To remain positive, all one has to do is change the way they feel and respond to events that prompt negative feelings/emotions.
Unfortunately, the mind is also powerful enough to destroy one's sense of self-worth and happiness if they are unable to control their thoughts. Rather, they arise from the thoughts that the events prompted." The usable insight in this statement is that the mind is an incredibly powerful tool that can be used to conquer our greatest weaknesses. McGinnis then states that, "it is a mistake to assume that emotions arise directly from events. It consists mainly of the storm of thoughts that are forever blowing through one's mind.".(and the story we choose to tell about these thoughts). Referencing a quote from Mark Twain that is used in this book, "Life does not consist mainly- or even largely- of facts and happenings. This allows for a uniquely different understanding of one's circumstances as well as the development of newer and more productive habits/thoughts. Later in the text, McGinnis states that, "Optimism and enthusiasm are contagious, but they are not nearly so contagious as pessimism and doubt." He then explains the importance of changing your routine in its entirety when you find that negativity is starting to play a larger role in your life. "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." - John Milton."Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms-to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."."Change what you can and accept what you can't." - Alan Loy McGinnis."We waste much of our lives kicking at frustrations, regretting the way things have turned out, beating our heads against the wall unnecessarily, when the wise thing would be to learn the art of acceptance." - Alan Loy McGinnis.Learning to view each day as a fresh start from your mistakes allows one to develop a healthy and refreshing perspective. Thank God we can start anew." Though this advice may come easier said than done, it could not be more accurate.
Later in the text, McGinnis uses a quote by Charles Edison, stating that, "There is great value in disaster. In fact, the text states that "Perfectionists usually accomplish less, because they squander so much time paralyzed by fear of failure." As stated before, an acceptance of our flaws allows us to view them with wisdom and curiosity, rather than self-pity and shame. In the text, there is a quote by Clare Booth Luce, stating that, "There are no hopeless situations in life there are only men who have grown hopeless about them." This quote was used to deter people from seeking perfectionism and a life without flaw. How we choose to internalize our surroundings dictates our thoughts, which will ultimately dictate our actions. Perspective is an incredibly important part of life. The text states that, "tough-minded optimists are aware that they live in an imperfect world in which love ends, innocent people are cheated, and sick people die." This acceptance of the harsh realities of life allows to use wisdom in challenging times and cultivate a higher level of emotional intelligence. Viewing disaster and failure with this outlook allows for one to remove emotional attachment and observe the situation from a rational perspective.
My personal favorite was McGinnis' advice on viewing disaster and pain from a vantage point of curiosity, acceptance and non-attachment. McGinnis starts his book by listing some of the characteristics of an optimist and how those qualities can lead to success. In this book, McGinnis provides invaluable insight through explaining how utilizing optimism can lead to better outcomes and a new perspective on day-to-day situations. "The Power of Optimism", by Alan Loy McGinnis, has earned itself a spot in my top 10 favorite books of all-time. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference." - Virginia Satir "Life is not the way it's supposed to be.
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