Optimists are not always seen as trustworthy - often they are perceived as swimming on the surface or sticking to shallow waters to avoid being dragged into the depths of reasonable despair. Because I am optimistic, you may think I have not had my fair share of awful experiences. But I assure you - I have had some epic losses. I have lived. Like you.
This summer I have been waking to robin song (VERY early!), and their song seems to drive away anxiety as my focus drifts to the sound. Although my anxiety still flutters within me, it just does not seem as important as the robin songs. I've lived some of the hard things that have happened to me many times before they actually occurred, and I know now that they will happen anyway - even if I have cheated by listening to robins instead of my anxiety. And ironically, surrendering to robin song refreshes my thinking, helping me access the bandwidth to either live through or wriggle out of a dire situation with a creative solution.
As a coach, my optimism serves you well. I see in you the possibilities you don't see. I see what you may consider as stalls to be pauses, what you consider to be failures as learning, and what you experience as a dead end to be a detour. I perceive you as awash in opportunities you haven't yet considered.
Just because I am an optimist does not mean I am a cheerleader. I won't embarrass you (or myself) with pom poms and cheering. But I will listen deeply to you as you change your mind about yourself. And I will witness you as you find the path to your possibilities, strengths and brilliance. I'll remember what you have committed to and what you have promised yourself. And I will follow up with you so you know that what you do matters.
Because it does to me.
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