Optimism

I lost everything but my dart board   I lost everything but my dart board.  Want to play a few games while we         wait to be rescued? I lost everything but my dart board. Want to play a few games while we wait to be rescued? I lost everything but my dart board. Want to play a few games while we wait to be rescued? I lost everything but my dart board. Want to play a few games while we wait to be rescued? Ask: What is this about? Jensen story of her son, Caleb, at Christmas. He had had many bad times with health, family problems, substance abuse. He overcame many situations and is now happily employed in a wonderful job in NYC. He was grown up and they were sitting around the living room with fire going over the holidays, and she asked him what was the best gift he had ever gotten from her. Expected snowboard or Playstation. Instead, as the child of the person who developed Self-Science and EQ, the GIFT of OPTIMISM. 2

Objective: Participants identify actions they could take to increase EQ Activity: Answer the question on the overhead. Brainstorm a list of actions that will create these behaviors -- or ways of practicing. This is a brainstorm -- not a commitment. “I could use the Six Second pause when my kids start fighting.” “Someone could take the first 5 min of every meeting just to listen.” “I could sit with someone new at lunch.” You could flip back to the previous slide to ensure ideas are coming from all areas. 3

MLK Speech

Optimism Show “Boundin” as a intro to optimism. Overcoming adversity, being resilient, and choosing optimism is central to SEL and to life’s success. Self esteem, self-wprth, self-efficacy are tied in with this concept . It is a basic SEL definition-if we are self-efficacious, things work out pretty well most of the time, and we know how to deal with failures and obstacles, seeing them as challenges. 5

Optimism in President Obama’s speech

Overcoming Challenges Engaging optimism: 50% of our optimism quotient is genetic, 10% is what happens in life, 40 % is what we tell ourselves about what happens. The 40 % is what we tell ourselves about what happens to us. Can we engage our own optimism in trying times? What did you assessment say about optimism? Debbie’s Speech

T I E P P P Permanent Pervasive Powerless Temporary Isolated Seligman saw Optimists as TIE Pessimists were PPP Take a minute to fill out handout on what people would say…. Temporary Isolated Effort Possible 8

“No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” – Helen Keller (1880 - 1968) SKIP THIS SLIDE? 9

Optimism Activity End with Optimism Activity WIRES activity. Take your wire and think about a time, past or present, when you or someone you know faced adversity. Did you or this person need optimism or resilience to get through? What did that look like? Take a moment to construct an image from your wire signifying this optimism. Was there a time when you have given this gift to yourself or another, or have you received it? Or is it something you can do for yourself right now? Share with partner.

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Erik video What does this have to do with Optimism?? Watch video of blind climber Erik video

What about that? What story can you tell?

How about that? What will success look like?

What do we need in our backpacks? Flexibility Goals Appropriate Tools Accurate Self Knowledge Emotional Connections Creativity Optimism

Build a place with the blocks where optimism and resiliency YOUR CHOICE! Build a place with the blocks where optimism and resiliency thrive and flourish! OR Use your resiliency and optimism to build the tallest tower you can with straws and tape!

How will you exercise your optimism to help others?

They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. -Carl W. Buechner