Optimism – University of Life

Thinking Archive by category "Optimism"

Pivotal Moments: Confidence

Ambition, Community, Confidence, Courage, Identity, Life Advice, Optimism, Podcast, Psychology, Success, Thriving

blondeprofilewind What moments have changed your life’s direction, for better or worse? What events shaped your future and turned you into the person you are now? Have you ever created major changes in life without some external impetus to force your hand?

What if you could change anything about your life right now? What would you change? Think it over!

One of the most important traits you can develop is confidence. It makes you more attractive. It gives you the courage to live your dreams. It smooths out dozens of small bumps in the road of life and helps you progress much faster toward your inherent potential.

With that in mind, here are a few stories of confidence-related pivotal moments to help you process the concept. PLEASE SHARE your own pivotal moments in the comments sections below! Everyone would love to hear and learn from them.

A Scout is…Confident?

I went to scout camp the summer before 9th grade, and sitting around the fire one afternoon, Coy started spitting watermelon seeds at me as he ate. Coy was one of the “cool” kids and I was not. After several seeds, something in me snapped – something small at first, then bigger. “If you spit one more seed at me,” I warned, “I’ll beat the crap out of you.” Coy calmly took another bite of melon, chewed, then spit a seed at me. Read more

Spirit & Peace

Adventure, Courage, Life On Earth, Optimism, Podcast, Spirituality, Thriving

Spirituality means many things to many people, yet most spiritual traditions have much in common regarding the experience of spirituality, even when beliefs and interpretations differ. One such commonality is the Principle of Peace. We live our lives much like a sailboat on the ocean. We may think we’re in control of our lives, yet most everything around us – the sky and sea shifting above and below – remains largely a mystery. Winds and…

How to Repulse Energy Vampires

Confidence, Courage, Depression, Enthusiasm, Happiness, Identity, Love, Optimism

“Mmmm,” the vampire thinks to him/herself while looking over your glowing aura, “that much energy could sustain me for months!” Your happy smile slowly fades as dark clouds creep across the bright morning sky. You don’t understand why you’ve begun feeling more down than usual lately. Nothing is actually wrong, nothing you can name; life should continue going great! But it’s just…not, exactly. You feel more tired and less optimistic than usual. If only you…

Thinking Distortions

Depression, Happiness, Healing, Identity, Optimism, Psychology, Thinking

If you ever find yourself feeling frustrated that things aren’t working out better or suffer from any degree of anxiety, depression, or low self esteem, then there’s a strong chance it has something to do with Cognitive Distortions. If you’ve never heard of these pesky bad habits, then you’ve been missing out on a huge opportunity to make your life better and easier! To be concise, thinking distortions are ways we sometimes think that –…

Podcast: Good and Hard

Courage, Depression, Happiness, Healing, Identity, Optimism, Podcast

In our first University of Life podcast, we interview an extended family – a first-time mother, a survivor, a young cowboy, and an accidental jailor – about some of their most difficult experiences and seek to answer and explain the question “Is bad good?”

We’d love to make a habit of creating thought-provoking podcasts like this, so if you enjoy it or find it helpful, please say so in one of the comment sections below! Thanks! Your feedback matters!

A big thanks to Marilee, Kirsten, Chris, Preston, Emily, Tiffany and Jeri! You made it great.

Would your business like to sponsor this show? Send us a message and we’ll tell you how.

How to Learn to Love Yourself

Confidence, Energy Work, Happiness, Healing, Identity, Love, Optimism, Psychology, Success, Thinking

“Life is kinder to those who love themselves, because love attracts love and light, and repels and dissolves darkness.” – Shaun Roundy Admit it – if you really, really loved yourself, you’d be happier. You’d have more abundance of all kinds in your life: friends, fun, wealth, health, and overall satisfaction. You’d even grow less attached to material things and all external circumstances, because your primary stability and satisfaction would happen on the inside where…

Change Your Story Today

Happiness, Healing, Identity, Optimism, Psychology, Success, Thinking

Do you ever wish your life would change? That you would be happier or more popular or richer or less alone, etc.? Well…it can…and it’s all up to you, and it’s surprisingly simple to do. “All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players.” What if your life really WAS a play – would we be watching a comedy, tragedy, or just repeating history (Yours? Your family’s? Your nationality’s?) over and over like a…

Sponsor a Dancer!!!

Adventure, Ambition, Beauty, Confidence, Courage, Enthusiasm, Expression, Happiness, Optimism, Passion

I’ve known Bridger Barksdale all his life. I am *awed* at his dedication to his pursuits and the *excellence* he achieves in them. I produced this video to show off some of his inspiring skills, and to help him raise money to attend the Bolshoi Theater’s summer intensive program in New York this summer, where he was awarded a 90% scholarship when he tried out at the Grand Prix in Denver this winter. His family…

Happy Thanksgiving + Merry Christmas!

Adventure, Ambition, Christmas Books, Confidence, Enthusiasm, Expression, Optimism, Passion, Success, The Meaning of Life, U of Life, Words to Live By

What I am grateful for today (among other things) is that I finally finished writing the last book in my Courage, Love and the Meaning of Christmas series! The Art of Heart finally wraps up the trilogy with the most exciting book yet. Click any of the books above to view them on Amazon.com and click the book image there to read the first dozen chapters or so and see if you get hooked by the…

If you’re unhappy and you know it…

Balance, Happiness, Optimism, Success, Words to Live By

Do you ever wish life was happier? Yes? Well good news – your wish is about to come true! IF you cooperate, that is. Here’s the deal: life is many things. It’s hard. It’s short. It’s confusing. It’s also good, full of opportunities, and open to your input. What that means is that you have a lot more power over how your life turns out than you knew. For example, did you know that happiness is a choice? Yeah, okay,…

How to Come Alive

Ambition, Confidence, Enthusiasm, Happiness, Optimism, Passion, Success, The Meaning of Life, Traits

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman When was the last time YOU came alive? Watch this video for five tips on how to make that happen more often!

Express Yourself!

Ambition, Confidence, Enthusiasm, Optimism

This ones for anyone – author, artist or otherwise – if you ever think you have nothing worth saying.