By Sensei Serge Sognonvi and Carmen Sognonvi
Originally published at http://www.urbandojo.com/blog
Throughout May 2011, we’ll be working on the concept of “optimism” as part of our Powerful Words character development curriculum.
All our discussions and activities will aim to help our students understand how to look at the bright side — how to see a challenge and know everything is going to turn out exactly as it should.
To inspire your own discussions at home, here are nine of our all-time favorite quotes on optimism:
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
~Winston Churchill
“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!”
~Oscar Wilde
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
~Helen Keller
“Optimism doesn’t wait on facts. It deals with prospects. Pessimism is a waste of time.”
~Norman Cousins
“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. ”
~Colin Powell
“Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power”
~William James
“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”
~Susan J. Bissonette
“Optimism is the foundation of courage.”
~Nicholas Murray Butler
“At the end of the day, the pessimist looks back on what went wrong, the optimist, on what went right. That’s why pessimism leads to haplessness and optimism, to happiness.”
~Dr. Robyn Silverman
Hope you enjoyed these optimism quotes! To give you more ideas for conversation topics, here’s a run-down of what we’ll be discussing this month in class:
Week 1: Optimism defined: What is Optimism vs Pessimism?
Week 2: Dealing with challenges: How do we change how we think?
Week 3: Blame and Accountability: How do optimists vs pessimists cope?
Week 4: Inner talk and believing in oneself: How can we be more optimistic?
There’s no better way to drive home the lessons we teach at Urban Martial Arts than by reinforcing them… well, at home!
We’d love to hear how your conversations go with your child so do share with us!
Free Download: Special Report on Optimism
Fill out the form below to request a free PDF download of our special report:
“Why Optimism Matters: A Guide for Parents and Educators”
This special report is an excellent resource, whether you’re a parent who wants to instill greater optimism in your children, or you’re a teacher looking for character development lesson ideas in the classroom.
By filling out the form above, you’ll also receive a complimentary subscription to Black Belt Success, the email newsletter from Urban Martial Arts.