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My husband received a bracelet while at the ATD conference that says, "Happiness is a choice!" I agree that we can make the choice to be optimistic.

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For me to make the choice to be more optimistic requires that I have some positive feelings about the situation that I can draw from. If there aren't any positives then trying to be optimistic seems silly - like fantasy.

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When there are no positives to draw on - which could include the circumstances, items, or people, then I find it hard to be optimistic.

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My principal is very optimistic. He sees the positives and can help those around him stay out of 'funks.' His optimism, at least with school, helps with being able to brush off the bumps and bruises of being an administrator.

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I am struggling to think of a person. My mom was a realist and my dad was a dreamer (way beyond optimism)...

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Optimism is a choice, as is happiness, attitude, and effort. What gets in the way of our choices regarding a few of the aforementioned items is emotions. Experience breeds emotional control, which assists with our choices.

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I'm generally optimistic the way it is, so my choice to live with a glass half full approach isn't difficult for me. However, there are many I've taught and coached that have the opposite approach, which can be frustrating, but as a teacher/coach it is my duty to offer the most optimistic point of view I can, while also informing of the vast amount of variables associated with each choice. Nine times out of ten I'm able to persuade due to unforeseen variables by my student athletes (this is where experience plays a role).

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When the variables associated with optimism toward a specific outcome seem to get out of reach, it's easy to be held back. However, if my football team is down by 4 TD's with 2 min left in the game, I still hold onto optimism..."do your best each play, honor the game by playing to the end, respect the opponent, learn from mistakes," etc...the same concept can be applied in the classroom. A student may be failing for an entire semester...do we stop instructing them because "they aren't going to pass anyways?"

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I've had many in my life that were optimistic, never gave up hope for anything, and tried their best to do their best (teachers, coaches, family members). It comes down to taking a look in the mirror with a moral lens...keep chopping wood (reference from Josh Medcalf book)

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In my time as an AD, my network of AD's taught me the true value of optimism and telling the "good stories." It's contagious, influential, and benefits all. As an aspiring Admin member, I want to be the change/innovation I want to see.

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It's true....whichever way you go in life, you made that choice.

90% of life just comes at us, but how we CHOSE to respond is up to us, and that's the 10% I judge you by - "How you respond to adversity, or just life's little challenges."

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Nothing, I'm an eternal optimist! While at the same time being a realist, and no it not conflicting, I just think that there are more ways to achieve a goal. So, I'm upset one way didn't work, there are thousands of more mistakes I can make; and that's just in one day.

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Nothing.... my mother always said "Nothing fails but a try." I always told my son, "It's OK to fail, but it's not OK not to try." That's how he got me to try ice skating.

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My mother was the optimist in the family. She told all four of her boys that there was not such thing as completing your education after (12th) grade; she said 16th grade was when we were finished - meaning college graduates. All four of us graduated from college, and inner-city statistical impossibility.

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The teachers, administrators, and staff here at East Ridge are so positive, and I love that. This is the best group of professionals I've ever worked with, and boy am I happy. I can honestly said I love my job and where I work. I know it sounds a little corny, but I mean it!