Menu
Contact
Kay
Today!

Kay's Key Notes

Quips, Tips and Wry Observations by Kay Frances
Funny Motivational Speaker and Stress Management Goddess

Optimism. Look on the Bright Side!

Like many people, I struggle with optimism and yet I make my living as a Funny Motivational Speaker. Still, it doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s not easy to stay upbeat and positive. In fact, I will be complaining to my younger sister, Cindy, about something inconsequential and she will wryly say, “Oh! Are we stressing Miss Stress Management Specialist?”

Guilty as charged.

I’m not suggesting that people go around being “on” all of the time.  Happy cause they just got fired. Can’t find the car keys? Who cares? Nothings going to get me down! Sure, it’s good to not sweat the small stuff, but it’s okay to sweat occasionally. That’s why we have sweat glands.

People that are “on” all the time can be just downright annoying.  My mom was an eternal optimist and it served her well.  But sometimes it was annoying to the rest of us who just wanted to have ourselves a big pity party. She was always telling us kids to “look on the bright side.”  Or, no matter how bad things were, she’d tell you how much worse it could be. I can remember one time complaining because I couldn’t lose weight. She said, “you think you’ve got problems. Think of the people with no arms!” I said, “well that would be one way to lose 10 pounds! Just looking on that bright side, Mom!”

But, as it turns out, optimism isn’t some fluffy concept. It’s actually vital for our good health and there is science to back it up. The American Heart Association did an exhaustive study and found that all things being equal, people with an optimistic spirit had better heart health, a stronger immune system and a decreased risk of stroke.

And studies show that optimists tend to live longer. According to a study published in the August 2002 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, people who scored high on optimism had a 50-percent-lower risk of premature death than did those who scored more pessimistic.

It takes vigilance and practice to lean towards optimism. We have to be mindful of our thoughts and reactions throughout the day. Optimism is a mindset and a conscious choice. But, the more we see the connection between feeling good and having a spirit of optimism, the easier it will be to make it part of our daily lives.

My mom has been gone for a number of years (may she rest in peace) and I often wonder what she would think of the fact that I am now a Funny Motivational Speaker. I think she would be happy to know that I have come to embrace the many things she taught me. Optimism just makes sense.

Tags: Funny Keynote Speaker, Funny Motivational Speaker, Optimism