ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some stories to show ways and means for tipping one's emotional scales toward greater positivity, optimism, and happiness. The stories speak about creating a happy and positive self-image and about adopting a forward-looking orientation. It explores how uncertainty and challenge can be strengthening, along with the appreciation of beauty, the journeying through life, and the anticipation of arrival. Positive thoughts, feelings, and actions act effectively to dissolve, melt, or undo negative thoughts, feelings, and actions. Building positivity comes from setting our sights on the attainable rather than the unattainable, learning to look forward rather than back, and discovering how to positively anticipate the future rather than negatively revisit the past. The final story explores how someone can turn severe trauma into positive post-traumatic growth by choosing what is controllable, developing a sense of adventure, seeing beauty in the world, maintaining positivity, and channeling a tragedy in both constructive and creative directions.
