O is for Optimistic

O is for Optimism.

Last year, on December 2 I learned that my company would be moving all operations to Birmingham, Alabama. I was pregnant. I was really scared. And hey, the holidays were right around the corner - so basically, I was a hot mess.

All is well today - I found a job when Ingrid was 18 weeks old. December 2, 2010 seems like a million years ago.

As I was tidying up our home office last night, I found an old file folder, creatively named JOB. I went through the documents that made the cut - resumes, cover letters, resume tip articles, job interview articles and networking articles - I mentally noted to stop printing so many random articles. Then, I thought about that trying time and what "stuff" I took from my old job to get my new job. No, not the colorful office supplies (although I do miss those fun binder clips...) - the "stuff" I learned at my old job was critical to scoring my new gig.

I won't go into the details of my old role - but basically, I supported a sales force of outgoing, friendly and above all, optimistic women. As time went on, this positive-thinking-optimistic-attitude rubbed off on me. Through observation and personal success - I came to learn that being optimistic is that special magic glue that makes a good idea stick. With a healthy dose of skepticism and an optimistic outlook - you figure out that everything has a way of figuring itself out. I know, it all sounds so "quotey" so "eye-rolly" but, I kid you not - I finally lost weight when I became optimistic about losing weight.

I'm not advocating for bubbly, annoying levels of positive thinking. But in order to land this job - I made sure that I didn't come across as needy (I desperately needed this job), fake (bubbly, annoying levels of positive thinking) or a pill to work with (will not complain).

Sometimes being optimistic isn't really an option - like, when you need to vent - or better said - bitch.

Sometimes you need to bitch to figure out what's really grinding your gears. Sometimes you need to bitch to bitch. And sometimes, you bitch to drag yourself and others down.

The last reason is the worst. And I've been doing too much of it lately. Bitching about money and then buying things. Bitching about my intake of nonsense - then drinking coffee all day. Bitching about my baby weight (hate that term) - then proceed to eat treats.

In order to keep with the season of merry and cheer - I'm attempting to keep the bitching to a minimum and keep the levels of optimism at a (reasonably) appropriate level.