Optimism

Is not a mood but a mindset–the conscious decision to frame every fractional moment as part of a meaningful whole. It’s the belief that things happen for you, not to you–that each experience, pleasant or painful, is an opportunity to learn.

Optimism is a skill that’s bred through struggle. When the only alternatives are persistent pain or death, people tend to find a way out. It’s not a change in circumstance, but in orientation–an internal recalibration that often, in time, shapes the world around it.

By definition, optimism is impenetrable. When every hardship is a stepping stone, nothing can truly set you back. There are no losses, only lessons. No failiures, only friction like that which polishes stone into something smooth and refined.

Whatever you’re experiencing, wherever you are–this moment is part of the story. You don’t need to know where it fits yet, you just need to believe that it fits somewhere. Craft your own narrative. Believe in your destiny to become something great.

To be optimistic is not to lie down in the face of adversity and hope something better will come. It’s to squeeze insight from that experience, to feel deeply and reflect honestly. To be optimistic is to be curious about the world and your mind, and to learn not just for knowledge's sake, but for the improvement of your life and others. 

“In wisdom gathered over time, I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.” - Aldous Huxley

In every experience, there’s an opportunity to learn, whether you choose to take it or not. Take these opportunities as if your life depends on them, because it does.