This poem speaks a lot of things I want to express — optimism, moving on, self-growth, love, composure, taking actions, and being strong and true to yourself. I have nothing to say other than to agree that words, when woven to uplift a spirit, can be powerful and moving. Please read it slowly:

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you.

Life may not be the way we want it to be, there are still tons of reasons to be positive — smile, hope, love, and live. It can be hard but, at times, it’s the only way to stay dogged and resilient.

As Seth Godin famously penned, “Optimism is the most important human trait, because it allows us to evolve our ideas, to improve our situation, and to hope for a better tomorrow.”

Note: I discovered this poem from Marc and Angel Chernoff’s blog.