Have you heard the concept, “Pollyanna?”
You may be asking, “Concept? Isn’t that a name?”

Yes it is a name…a name of a character in a classic tale by the same name of “Pollyanna.”

The story of Pollyanna goes like this:
Pollyanna is a cheerful orphan who was taught by her late father to always play “The Glad Game.”
The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation, no matter how bleak it may be.
After her father’s passing (her mother had died during child birth), Pollyanna went to live with her stern and cold Aunt Polly in a dispirited New England town. Pollyanna’s sunny personality and sincere, sympathetic soul ends up transforming not only her Aunt but the entire town - turning it into a wonderful place to live!

“What is your point, Suzanne?”

My experience with this “Pollyanna” characterization has been pretty negative.

“Oh stop being so ‘Pollyanna!’”
or
“Don’t pull that ‘Pollyanna’ stuff on me!’”
(Referring to…being unrealistic, overly positive, cheerful, and even naive)

But when you consider the character of Pollyanna and what she was able to do for herself
and provide for her community with her irrepressible optimism and tendency
to find the good in EVERYTHING…well…it is absolutely beautiful!

She had the ability/made the choice to turn a negative into a positive! Pretty powerful, huh?
I would go so far as to say…this is a SUPER POWER that I strive to have!

Greg McKeown (well-known author) says it best:
“A person who can turn a negative into a positive can never be defeated!”

During this time of uncertainty and quarantine, how can you be more like Pollyanna?
What negatives can you turn into positives?

Let’s have the irrepressible optimism of Pollyanna and transform ourselves,
our family, our friends, our community and our world!