Pollyanna's Optimistic Attitude

One of my favourite childhood movies is 'Pollyanna'.  I love this movie and I was excited to recently buy the DVD and watch it on Sunday. 

I love that Pollyanna, the star child of the movie, transforms the Community through being in Connection  one by one, where she is Positive and Bright and Happy.  We learn of 'The Glad Game' - where Pollyanna finds something to be glad about in every situation.  Pollyanna's Optimistic Attitude has a HUGE impact on the entire Community.  

For the last two years while I have been studying my Coaching, the Course has offered the opportunity for Self-Reflection and Awareness, which I love.  In the last few months, after studying my Yin and Yang, I have discovered a strong sense of Self-Love and Self-Confidence - and then in the last two weeks I have been in some doubt about my own Positive Attitude.  I have a knowing that feeling Happy, Bright, Sunny, Enthusiastic, Joyful, Excited, Grateful, Optimistic comes naturally for me.  And I have been in Self-Reflection that there is the potential in me to move away from the black or grey and paint in Yellow and I have been learning to just be "Present and Warm to What Is".  

And yet I now realise that I can sit with the paradox.  I can Be Present and in touch with what is real in terms of my feelings and felt sense, and I can also have a Positive Attitude, embrace my own Pollyanna's Optimistic Attitude and be Grateful for the blessings in my life.  This feels right for me.

Another favourite childhood movie of mine, and still a movie that I love, is 'Anne of Green Gables'.  I also loved the young girl in this movie - she is very bright and talkative and I love that she is so real and says how she feels and what is on her mind - she is very Honest and upfront with what is real for her in the moment.

As I reflect on these two favourite movies of mine and the qualities of Anne and Pollyanna, I feel I can embrace the realness of Anne and also Pollyanna's Optimistic Attitude.  

I have a real knowing that my own Optimistic Attitude is a Gift.  When I was seven, I met my Friend Julie who has a disability that makes walking difficult for her and means that she has spent most of her life in a wheelchair.  Julie is an Amazing woman, she is very Bright and Happy and I love that we are still Friends.  Growing up with Julie has made me appreciate that I can walk and run and makes me realise how lucky I am.  My Mum and Dad are also naturally Positive, Bright, Upbeat people and so it has also been easy for me to embrace this Attitude.  

One of my favourite passages is -

"The Optimist Creed
Promise yourself ...
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your 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 you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you 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."
Written by Christian D. Larson in 1912

Over the years my Optimism and Positive Attitude have served me well in my life, my relationships, my work. And yet I do not want to risk, painting a situation Yellow without tuning into what is real for me or others.  My Self-Work is teaching me that it is so important to Honour and Be Present to What Is.  My Unit block where I live is called 'Green Gables' - this can serve as a reminder to me to be real and Honour  and sit with my Truth - rather than just letting Optimism and Positive Attitude come in too quickly.

I can hold the Paradox in my hands.  As an example that is real for me right now - I can be honest and real and know that right now when I am working Monday-Wednesday I do not feel aliveness or that I am working in the field of my lifework and I can sit with those feelings.  And rather than just quickly disregarding these feelings I can continue to sit with this Awareness and see where this leads.  And in the meantime, I can  also Choose to Be Positive at work and give my best.  I can be Grateful that I work close to home and work with nice people.  I can also be Happy that with my casual work I have no stress or pressure and this means that I can have more energy to direct towards building my Business.  I am not disregarding my real feelings by colouring them with Yellow, instead I am  holding the Realness and Honesty of Anne of Green Gables in one hand and also holding Pollyanna's Optimistic Attitude in the other hand, so that I am still motivated at work and enjoy a happy day.