In these times that may feel hard, when the going seems to have gotten rough, we may lose sight, for the moment, of what would lift us up. What does lift us up, every time, is a simple shift in attitude, a new perspective that sets our sights on something new, no matter what’s been happening all around us. And that simple shift in attitude is optimism!

Optimism, as a stance, is a magical thing in itself because it sets its sights on something new and better coming up over the horizon, as surely as the rising Sun! Optimism is bright and sunny itself, if we think about it!

So, what conditions engender optimism, what circumstances bring it about? It is not always the light and happy situations that reinforce it, is it? Often, it is the will to move forward from harder circumstances, from things that have gone wrong, that reinforces our sense of what can and will happen, our Knowing that our true Spirit could live a Life for us that goes really, really right!

Sometimes a collapse of things in daily Life that normally sustain us—beliefs, systems, jobs, even our own personal path—brings us to a place of lack, of hardship or struggle. In these times, our ability to take back our optimism, our right to determine how we feel about our Life, may very well be forged in fire.

In our will to thrive, to do well and feel happy, our Knowing of a greater Source than what we may have been relying on surges forth. In these moments, our capacity to feel optimism becomes quite literally as strong as iron!

All of Nature always Knows that Life force surges on, even in the face of the greatest disasters. The way of the world is to naturally continue on, to move immediately in the direction of thriving with new shifts, new growth, new Life forms! To do anything less, to stay in the state of catastrophe or to feel lost or alone, is peculiarly human.

The key, then, is not to stay down when the cycles of Life bring us to low points. The key then is simply and always to begin again!

Nature thrives and Knows it thrives no matter what! And so do we, if we can be in touch with our true essence, our Spirit, which is always connected to Source!

In optimism, we happily Know that events continually reshape themselves; in optimism we expect each new outcome to turn out for the very best! And in this expecting, optimism will always bring us back to Love!

Optimism actually gives us a release from the conditions around us, gives us what meditation may call detachment. Observation of conditions around us is merely a tie that binds us, while optimism is the ability to feel that spark of Love or happiness—no matter what! As we can see, optimism truly helps us along our way to Unconditional Love!

The Knowing that all of Life truly comes from Love, from our Divine Source, needs no justification. Optimism is simply our nature because it is the triumph of the human Spirit!

So if you’d like to do something nice for the people around you today—and certainly for yourself—share a little optimism with them—on any subject!


Shining an optimistic faith in you and in all of Life, with Love!

Julie

© Julie Shanti. All rights reserved.