In a world of challenges, heartbreak and let downs, we still look for that little hint of optimism and just go with it. You know, see where this hint of positivity can take us.
Living out the saying, “Every cloud has a silver lining,” we always try to find some good in a bad situation. We look for that “silver lining” in every grey cloud to overcome doubt, disbelief, and sadness.
Latching onto that itty bitty sign of something positive in a negative scenario?
You bet! I’ll be right there taking Mr. Positive by the hand and asking him, “Now which way do we go now?”
Silver linings take many different forms; you just have to look for them: big or small.
Take, for example, the moment you realize that the guy you’ve been talking to just really isn’t that into you. Well, hey, that’s not so bad! It’s one less thing to worry about! No need to spend those endless hours of getting ready in the morning to try to impress him. Maybe your time wasn’t then, and Prince Charming might show up at your door with a bouquet of flowers (or send you a text that says, “Hey, what’s up?”) when you’re least expecting it.
So, yes, there actually is a silver lining in that situation.
Another example, and my personal favorite, is seeing rainbows from our Kamehameha Schools Maui campus after a brisk morning drizzle. The wind may be a little too cold for my liking, and the sun may be hidden between grey clouds, but the most magical thing is seeing a gigantic, dazzling rainbow while walking to class.
It’s a small blessing and a discovered silver lining in our chilly, upcountry weather.
A great example of finding the positives in even the worst of situations was revealed in a movie I watched this past weekend.
Silver Linings Playbook, featuring actor Bradley Cooper, was a story about a man named Pat Solitano (Cooper) who lost everything and moved back home with his parents after he spent eight months in a state institution.
His biggest goal was to turn his life around, ultimately to heal his broken marriage, and get everything back on track. Solitano’s motto was excelsior which is a Latin word that translates to “ever upward” or “be always optimistic.”
Despite everything that happened in Solitano’s life, he managed to encourage himself to think positive and find his own silver lining in all of his struggles. Although the outcome and discovery of the silver lining wasn’t what he expected, Solitano was thankful for the road he decided to take.
That’s basically what I took away from the movie, and I think it’s a really important lesson that we should all learn and strive for: don’t be discouraged from finding your silver lining in a sticky situation, and always have a positive mindset.
To help get you started, visit this viral video pep talk by Kid President, and start looking for those silver linings.
