Developing an Optimistic Mindset, in spite of the Coronavirus!
What have you done today for the good of the country?
“Our society has changed from an achieving society to a feel – good society. Up until the 1960s, achievement was the most important goal to instill in our children. In the 1980’s, this goal was then overtaken by the twin goals of happiness and high self-esteem.
Duty, the former bedrock of adult life, goes out of fashion. Family, Nation and God take a backseat to the Self. Individual satisfaction and individual freedoms become emphasized: consumerism, recreational drugs, sexual satisfaction, self – imaging. Society slid away from individual investment in endeavors larger than one self. The feel – good society overtook the doing well society, and children became at risk for depression at ten times the previous rates.” Dr. Martin Seligman, The Optimistic Child.
I hope you will have the opportunity to read this groundbreaking book by Dr. Martin Seligman, known now as the father of positive psychology. It outlines how parents can develop the family value of optimism, no matter what the circumstances may bring. Today, after significant research coming from Stanford University’s Carol Dweck, we call it Mindset. https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322
The way we choose to interpret a situation can be changed. And how we choose to see it really impacts our level of success and happiness.
In previous generations, adults have faced many challenging situations. World War I, World War II, Polio, Pearl Harbor, 911. It seems every generation has had their own trauma to deal with, and how they see their own efforts will affect the outcome. In World War I and II, individual efforts for the good of the country were emphasized. Each person made sacrifices, and all were important to the war efforts. Victory gardens sprang up in most homes, since food was scarce. If you had extra, you shared. No one was concerned about toilet paper!
The coronavirus gives us another opportunity as a country to pull together, to help each other get thru this with innovations that will change our world for the better. Already, we have car companies manufacturing medical supplies like masks and equipment and hand sanitizer. Thank you! We have medical researchers developing vaccines. Doctors re-discovered medicines that helped in previous illness like malaria, and are trying to apply these to the coronavirus. Thank you for keeping a cool head and problem solving for the world. It is the time to see things differently and inventively. St. Patrick’s Day events were cancelled worldwide, but have now gone online. School will be going online, at least for the foreseeable future.
Things we took for granted a week ago, like going out to dinner or getting a haircut, are seen more clearly for what they truly are. Gifts. We have taken for granted the amazing efforts of doctors and nurses and medical researchers and hospital equipment and availability. All are gifts. We take for granted our first responders. You are all Gifts. We have taken for granted our military and all they do in times of national crisis. Now, it’s an opportunity to say Thank YOU! My grandkids will be sending love notes to our police officers, medical clinics, hospitals, sheriff department, fire departments, HEB, etc. Think of it as their reading and writing lesson for the week, with art attached. I hope we can flood all of these special people with thank you notes and drawings over the next few weeks…..
I believe we are seeing more clearly now, as a result of this world event. It’s the time to send love notes to your fav restaurant for providing newly invented Take Out, since gatherings are closed for now. Let your kids send love notes chalked on driveways and sidewalks that say THANK YOU to all medical gifts and personnel, for first responders, and to all that share and help others in their neighborhoods.
This massive ‘stop and see the gifts’ will be our hope for the future. For Now, we have to solve the problem of the coronavirus. For the foreseeable future, but NOT FOREVER!!!! I believe this is a rare opportunity, and truly a re-set for our country, which has been mired in the muck of negativity. Instead, now with a new mindset of how fortunate we really are, we can move forward with a new renaissance of invention and economic revival. Just think what can be re-imagined! The world is about to witness a renaissance as American science and medical fields unleash their problem – solving ideas and new tools into the world! Thank You!
In the olden days when times were hard, music was one way to shift attitudes. Here are some treasures from previous generations, so we can learn the lessons of history, while whistling a happy tune!
Songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXT3-ahLZ2U- Whistle a Happy Tune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv0hbLwvvpw-Judy Garland, Keep Your Sunny Side Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG9E_E_GTpM- You Have to Have a Dream- South Pacific
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mof0dEKT_9Q- YOU Can Do IT from Cinderella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z45EB4TiYz4&list=RDZ45EB4TiYz4#t=9- Accentuate the Positive with Bette Midler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yop62wQH498&list=RDYop62wQH498&index=1- The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow- ANNIE musical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry79LzkkDb4&index=2&list=RDYop62wQH498- You’re Never Fully Dressed without a Smile- ANNIE musical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWzrABouyeE- What a Wonderful World- Louis Armstrong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ueGfjBKbiE&t=1357s- Peter and the Wolf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94Bh3Qez9o- High Hopes, Frank Sinatra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE2z_N1fM5E – Rosie the Riveter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFMKydXLcWE – Glinda floats down in her bubble-The Wizard of Oz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL3xSctTB5c – It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcUxwpOQ_A- Ode to Joy- the Muppets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQjdOtebYns – Chin Up- Charlotte’s Web. (This is Debbie Reynolds, aka Princess Leia’s mom)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftxnr28LDXc- Spoonful of Sugar, Mary Poppins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqC5YtutWAU- Pick Yourself Up & Start All Over Again
I know there are many more musical pieces that inspire optimism. Please send your fav music that brings optimism to life!
Whenever life gets you down, you can change the world. That’s what the following foundations have done. Please check them out for inspiration, and see how much kids can accomplish!
Optimistic Foundations:
http://beyondbatten.org/be-project/be-a-hero/
Bravelets: https://www.bravelets.com/about-us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSl1jFjnHEs&sns=em- use your birthday for the good of the world
Please send us your favorite organizations that are changing the world for the better, and we will share them on our website.
Visuals:
You Can do it Poster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE2z_N1fM5E
Movies:
Pollyana- The Glad Game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ihxyf7A1hg
The Music Man- the think system is optimism in action
Books:
- https://www.amazon.com/Little-Engine-Could-Original-Classic/dp/0448405202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493264772&sr=8-1&keywords=the+little+engine+that+could+book
- https://www.amazon.com/Power-Positive-Thinking-Norman-Vincent/dp/0743234804/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493264863&sr=1-1&keywords=power+of+positive+thinking+norman+vincent+peale
Additional Reading about how Optimism benefits your brain:
http://www.rainybrainsunnybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/NY-Moves-Article.pdf
My daughter sent photos of their family sitting around their fire pit in their back yard last night, roasting smores and having bedtime stories. Who will ever want to go back to life before smores and bedtime stories by the fire pit? In spite of all of this adaptation, you will be creating new memories, treasures really, with your kids.
We are all in this together… please let us know how we can support you and your family!
Best,
Claire and Jennie
