Optimism is the belief that challenges can be faced, that things can get better, and that we have the capacity to grow, adapt, or find meaning, even when things are hard. It’s not about ignoring pain or fear, but about holding onto hope while making space for reality. Optimism is key ingredient in building resilience – that and emotional regulation and a supportive environment.

There it is.

It’s about holding on to hope…

You trained hard. You tapered right. You visualized the race. And then... it didn’t go as planned. Things go sour. Maybe your legs felt dead, maybe the conditions were brutal, or maybe your mind wasn’t in the game. Whatever the reason, you crossed the finish line feeling disappointed, and that frustration lights a fire in you.

There was a torrent of rushing water pouring through maybe a fifteen-foot channel that I had to swim across to a slick boulder that I would then have to climb on top of and swim back. My mind swirling with ‘what-ifs.’ What if I get pulled under at the strong eddy line. What if I get swept down-stream to the bigger rapids? What if I get hypothermic?

I was frozen