2012 - An Approach to Optimism

It is the last day of 2011. I choose a beginning that encourages success in measurable, attainable ways, and I hope you will too!

Last year we created vision boards, where what we wanted to accomplish was represented in pictures, and words from magazines. It was a fun way to spend the time, and most of what was on my board last year, has already taken place. I will probably do something like that again this year. Living the things I believe make a difference in my life, seems to be the most productive way to go. Learning is essential!

One hundred years ago, Christian D. Larson (1912) wrote a cluster of words that originally appeared in the book: Your Forces and How to Use Them and has since been adopted by many organizations as a mantra, or motto to live by. You can find it in a search under the title it goes by "I Promise Myself", or you can find it listed as "The Optimist Creed", either way the words are carefully chosen and reflect a means for living life with a glass half full approach. 

In 1922 it was adopted by the Optimist International organization. I've adopted the creed for my own life, and adapted it to reflect my own particular means for weaving words. Here's a nice printable pdf version of it from "The Secret" website (which means it also has their logo on top). The copy prints up nicely though, and is currently sitting on my desk in a frame from a friend. 

I Promise Myself (a pdf printable)

Your Forces and How to Use Them ( a free ebook download - right click on the download and save the pdf to your hard drive to access it)

Have a wonderfully happy New Year!!

I Promise Myself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving yourself that I have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud word, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side, so long as I are true to the best that is in me.

Additional Resources

Christian D. Larson: < http://christianlarson.wwwhubs.com/ >.

Optimist International: < http://www.optimist.org/e/creed.cfm >.

The Secret: < http://images.thesecret.tv/prints/A4_optimists-creed.pdf >.