I haven’t read Pollyanna, but I’ve been called Pollyanna.  I’ve been compared to the neighbor in the Simpsons that kept a chipper attitude, much to Homer’s annoyance.  I’ve been criticized for having lofty goals and seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.  But I love it!  Those traits are part of optimism.  A course I’m currently enrolled in states that you need to be optimistic to be highly successful in sales, customer service, or business management.  The pessimists are less likely to succeed, and the realists are often pessimistic.

With that said, here are some traits of optimistic people.  The bold font below is from The Positive Trait Thesaurus.  The commentary is from me.

Assume the best in people.  See everyone as friends, as people on a journey to overcome hardships to arrive at a higher place of love.  And love everyone.  When we see the best in other people, we feel good about them—and ourselves.  I heard that everyone rubs us the wrong way eventually, but what more excellent reason to love them?  Then, we can appreciate that they, too, are only human.  And be sure to love even the seemingly vilest of people.  That’s because if God loves and sees the best in everyone, we can, too.

Approach new tasks with eagerness.  Seeing every challenge as an opportunity to learn is fun, especially if we’ve got the resources to make it happen.  For instance, when I’m assigned a new task at work, I get excited if I know whom to turn to on Fiverr for coaching or where to find a suitable course.  For example, I’ve been assigned the task to clean like a professional, so I will enroll in a six-week janitorial certification program.  I’ll be able to sanitize a hospital by the time I’m done.  We can overcome any weakness with the right resources.  And every task we get assigned is an opportunity for growth.

Don’t let yourself be bored or idle; find meaningful ways to occupy your time.  There is no such thing as idle time when we’re on fire with dreams.  That’s what idle time is for—kindling our dreams.  So likewise, there’s no rest for the aspirant when we turn all our spare time into goal-getting activities.  Just draft up a list of dreams you’ve ever desired, list obstacles to them, and flip those obstacles into their opposites: solutions.  Then, make an action plan to make your dreams happen.

Be supportive; encourage people in the pursuit of their goals and dreams.  Thrive on other people’s successes.  Revel in other people’s dreams and encourage their goals at every opportunity.  Everyone has the potential to achieve their biggest dreams, and no dream is too big.  If we store that dream in our consciousness, many doors will open, and our hearts will know when it’s time.  But there’s no time like now.  So, when someone mentions a dream or goal, they’re ready.  Be a catalyst: encourage them to journey through that powerful door.

Believe that occasional setbacks make success more meaningful and satisfying.  This is my favorite one.  You could get knocked out of the box for ten years from a chronic disease, an anxiety disorder, or some combination of setbacks.  If so, I hear you.  It happened to me.  And a lot worse could happen, too.  But, keep gunning for the goal, no matter the hardships.  Keep reading, learning, gaining skills, and dreaming big.  Those setbacks will make your dream attainment that much sweeter.  For instance, everyone loves the rags to riches story—or the success stories that involve humble beginnings.  So, wear your wounds as badges of honor on your journey toward the success you deserve.

And what more to be optimistic about than your future?  You have everything it takes to achieve any goal you desire.  So, why not join me in the Pollyanna club? After all, it’ll accelerate your greatest achievements and sweeten the obstacles.