How often do you stop and tally up all that's wonderful around you, all that makes you feel truly optimistic?I hadn't in a while until Ian Fitzpatrick specifically asked me What is it that you are optimistic about?
Here is what I am optimistic about.
Ian asked me to share the source of my optimism on The Optimist Conspectus, a "survey of contemporary optimism."
How could I not participate? I am a person whose glass isn't half full; rather it's full to overflowing! I appreciate that Alltop celebrates All the top Good and Uplifting news and that AdAge has launched the GoodWorks blog. Optimism affects all of us in powerful and positive ways.
I was intrigued with the genesis of Ian's survey of contemporary optimism. Here's how he described it:
"The project was borne of a recent observation that there is a great deal of optimism in society at the moment, even as we are witnessing massive economic turmoil, warfare and significant threats to our planet in the form of environmental destruction and disease. I am quite curious as to the cause for the optimism I witness. Some of it I ascribe to excitement about the new administration, although I think it actually goes much deeper.
The ultimate goal for the project is to create a set of data visualizations - a map of optimism - utilizing the most frequently-used words from the submissions to paint a picture of what it is that people are optimistic about, akin to two recent New York Times features: Map of Popular Super Bowl Words Used on Twitter and Inaugural Words - 1789 to the Present."
[BTW, those word maps are fascinating!]
Also, go explore.You see, what's marvelous is that all of the entries have been tagged: men, women and by geographic location.
Definitely submit your own tale of optimism - complete a form on The Optimist Conspectus.
Go on, Be Happy!
Thank you, Ian!
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4 comments:
If I stop worrying, then there is room for the optimism.
Looking at spring flowers makes me feel optimistic. The rhythm of life is all around us, we just get stuck in the wrong moments.
Hanging with optimistic friends/colleagues makes me feel more optimistic -- it's a virtuous circle.
Susan,
Thanks for bringing up the virtuous circle of optimism. It's so much more conducive to creating good around us.
I love spring, too. I go nuts about the flowers; the new green growth on trees, too. Twittering birds? Oh yes. The gobbling turkeys are fun, too.
Hi CB,
It's hard not to start the week in an optimistic way, after celebrating a beautiful spring Mother's Day, this weekend. Belated thanks for sending me into that celebration with such positive thoughts here.
I especially appreciated learning about Alltop's "All the top Good and Uplifting news" and the "GoodWorks blog" at AdAge. I'll also start to follow @optconspectus on Twitter, too.
It's great to have such a positive sense of community through these social networking tools. I've been focusing in particular this week, on the power of social media for good, and I think an optimistic attitude toward life is the first step required to make social change (fundraising, awareness, outreach, etc)possible.
Peg
Peg, I'm delighted you had such a nice Mother's Day and that I had a hand in setting the tone!
What have you discovered re: social media for good? I see/sense a great deal of positive and constructive possibilities in that arena. The world needs it.
Thanks for sharing.
CB
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Reminder: Please, no self-promotional or SPAM comments. Don't bother if you're simply trying to build inauthentic link juice. Finally, don't be anonymous: it's too hard to have a conversation. Thanks, CB