Learning to be Cheerful
Can you learn to be cheerful? Is it even a realistic goal? Can you choose a path of optimism? What is optimism? Daniel Goleman states in his book, Emotional Intelligence ( 1995) that optimism " means having a strong expectation that, in general, things will turn out all right in life, despite setbacks and frustrations...optimism is an attitude that buffers people against falling into apathy, hopelessness or depression in the face of tough going." Life is tough. Whether you are a student, a teenager, a young parent, an old parent, employed, unemployed, in love or nursing a broken heart. Life is a road which carries many bumps, it is how we choose to navigate the road which can make the journey enjoyable, miserable, magnificent, or dull. There will always be something with you as you make your journey. It will go everywhere with you. It will be always on display. It has no size. It has no colour. People will make judgements about you based on it. Its impact on your life is pr