By Dr. Russ,
For the month of September the City of East Lansing in partnership with Michigan State University offers the now annual “One Book, One Community” program. The book selected for 2010 is Zeitoun. The program is a month long series of lectures and discussion group opportunities that began this week with presentations by the author Dave Eggers at East Lansing High School and at the Breslin Student Events Center new student orientation convocation.
Zeitoun is the story of survival made possible by “skilled optimism.” Imagine a man, a Syrian-American named Zeitoun, canoeing through the flooded streets of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina doing good deeds and rescuing many who is then mistakenly arrested under rules of marshal law and thrown into a makeshift prison without any due process rights. Imagine further, that his family has no idea what has happened to him or where he is for over three weeks!
Five years ago, a state of pessimism gripped the city and national news media with ever more sensational stories about how the City of New Orleans had fallen into social chaos and was now at the mercy of rampant lawlessness - thieves, rapists, and murderers.
According to Eggers, the rumor, innuendo and vastly overblown negative stories led the authorities to believe that the New Orleans Convention Center contained over four hundred dead bodies. At the time for evacuation of the Convention Center, 400 body bags were brought to the entrance. Instead authorities found six corpses and one man who had shot himself in the foot with his own gun.
The reality of a Category 5 hurricane and the breakdown of a sorely inadequate system of levies and dykes combined with false rumors and myths fueled by irrational fear set the stage for this Kafka-esk nightmare.
Lessons of Optimism from Eggers Story of Zeitoun
- There are two kinds of fear: REAL and MADE-UP. Made-up fear is much worse; lets the imagination run rampant with pessimism, and leads to greater anxiety and beliefs about hopelessness and helplessness.
- Real fear is almost always directly proportional to the inherent danger and usually leads us to take appropriate and rational action to overcome the impending peril. On his first day canoeing the streets of his New Orleans neighborhood, Zeitoun heard a woman crying for help. Upon further exploration, he found her in the second story of her home, head just above water up against the ceiling. At 80 years old and weighing 200 pounds, he knew he couldn’t save her in his canoe. After a brief search he found two men in a fishing boat willing to help.
- Made-up fear is almost always out of proportion to the reality of the danger; usually resulting in catastrophic thinking and an overestimation of alarm by two or ten times more than the reality. Zeitoun, stranded in New Orleans without electricity or access to radio or TV news had no idea how vastly exaggerated the fears of social breakdown had become. All he could see were people trying to survive and help others.
- After Zeitoun had saved the woman above along with five others that first day of canoeing, he felt empowered, that his life had some real purpose. He stayed in the city to continue to help. Zeitoun’s experience teaches us once again that optimism is enhanced in any given moment when we find a moment or two in a day to help another.
- If we take time to listen, we learn. A major theme of Dave Eggers lecture at East Lansing High School was about how important it was for him to just listen to Zeitoun, Kathy his wife, and other players that had a role in the unfolding Katrina events as they told their story, their way without a lot of questioning, direction and redirection.
{Michigan State University and East Lansing, Michigan are featuring Dave Eggers, Zeitoun, in its “One Book, One Community” annual program that encourages, “the city-university community to come together and discuss” the book in a variety of settings over the course of the next month. For more about the scheduled events click on: MSU/East Lansing.
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By Dr. Russ,
Athletic activities and sports provide useful, workable and practical metaphors for living life optimistically in any given moment. Recently, I read Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall. The book recounts the mind set, life experiences and accomplishments of ultra-marathoners who run 50 to 100 mile races up and down mountainsides across rugged, non-paved, terrain.
McDougal not only tells a compelling true tale, he teaches us through the experiences of these super-athletes who have conquered the incredible challenge of running double and quadruple marathons how to deal with those times where one feels completely or nearly-so overwhelmed by life’s negative experiences that one begins to wonder, “Can I keep going?”
Currently, life in Lansing can present us with everyday overwhelming economic and self esteem challenges as we cope with unemployment, fear of job loss, foreclosure and “strained family finances.”
Here are four Dr. Russ Buss Optimism Tips based on the experiences of these ultra-marathoners and their quest to do the impossible and never give up.
- Dr. Russ Buss Key Extreme Tip: We cannot control all the events of life. No matter how hard we try, negative events will occur and impact us. We can control the “view of the event” more easily if we focus on how to adjust to the event so we can continue to pursue our goal(s).
- Dr. Russ Buss Key Extreme Tip: Even the most skilled “super-athlete” has self doubts that come in the form of that negative inner voice that says, “Life could be a lot easier if you just gave it up.” To maintain optimism when this voice rings out, don’t push it away. Either let the message float like a cloud into and out of awareness, “in one ear and out the other,” or thank the voice for expressing the opinion and say, “I have a better idea upon which I am going to focus.”
- Dr. Russ Buss Key Extreme Tip: Learn to embrace pessimism as friend, not an enemy, by recalling the old Simon and Garfunkle lyric: “Hello darkness, my old friend.” When pessimism learns you are not afraid of it, the pessimism diminishes in power allowing for optimism to prevail.
- Dr. Russ Buss Key Extreme Tip: Accept the “pessimism beast” as a normal and recurring mindset, much like the event of failure. Optimism thrives on the opportunity to fail as it is a major opportunity to learn and move ahead toward one’s goals. So instead of rejecting your moments of pessimism, embrace them, stroke them, and thank them for giving you important information about key obstacles that still need to be overcome.
To learn more about how these super-athletes take on and master such challenges, click on the link: Moment-to-Moment Optimism
{Reference: McDougall, C. (2009). Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. New York: Alfred A. Knopf}
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By Dr. Russ,
I have outlined the key psychological components underlying how to get the most OPTIMISM out of a vacation. (CLICK HERE for more details).
In this post, I break down “vacation” into discrete activities that can rejuvenate and inspire optimism. Any such optimism regeneration activity needs to absorb your physical and mental attention completely into the moment-to-moment flow of the event. Here are five, low cost activities that meet such a criterion and that can be done right here in Lansing!!!
Five Lansing Based, Low Budget, Optimism Inspiring Summer Vacation Activities
1. Ingredients: One or more bags of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers, and a few Hershey bars, a friend or two, your children, spouse and other family members. On a clear night, just before dusk, fire-up the charcoal grill in the backyard. When the coals are glowing in the dark, have everyone spear a couple of marshmallows on a stick or long fork then roast them over the hot coals, place the hot brown or blackened marshmallow on a graham cracker, top with a piece of chocolate and another cracker. Bite into the S’MORE and become complete absorbed in the aroma and burst of gooey taste sensation exploding in your mouth. While you’re at it lean back and see how many stars you can find; sing a few songs together; or have someone designated to tell a “scary” story.
2. Go sightseeing in Lansing: Spend an afternoon or early evening at the Potter Park Zoo, Impression Five Museum, and or the Michigan Historical Museum. Before going check the Web site of these attractions and discuss what you really want to see or experience. Such expectation planning allows for greater total immersion in the moment while you are there; like “wetting the appetite” you are priming the imagination “juices.” While there take some pictures of your favorite animals or exhibits, make sure a family member or two is in the picture. Over the next few days have some fun creating a digital or paper scrapbook of the trip. Invite some friends over for lemonade and share some of your adventure stories.
3. During a heat wave make it a “splash party.” Go to Home Depot, Meijer or Lowe’s and buy 15 to 20 feet of inexpensive plastic sheeting, about the thickness of a plastic trash bag. Roll it out on the lawn and run water down it with the hose, then start running and sliding headfirst of bottoms up. If you have a few “bucks” to spare, go to the East Lansing Water Park, Hawk Island, or spend the afternoon lounging on the beach at Lake Lansing.
4. Take a picnic lunch or dinner to a local park (e.g., Patriarch Park, Hawk Island, etc.). Bring a Frisbee, a softball, football or any other on-the-go outdoor activity. Become absorbed in the fun of the next three hours.
5. Scan the Lansing State Journal for free events such as Friday night Bandshell concerts at Lake Lansing; on weekend evenings in East Lansing look for local jazz concerts and take a blanket or lawn chairs. Imagine you are sitting by the Charles River in Boston, the Seine in Paris, or the Thames in London.
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Over the past several weeks, Dr. Russ has had the opportunity to lead three “Fight Back” ceremonies at local Relays for Life for the American Cancer Society.
The ceremony is meant to inspire participants to fight back to cancer with renewed optimistic spirit, using what Dr. Russ coined as the “Triple A’s” of Fight Back: Action, Attitude, and Above and Beyond Spirit.
If you’d like to read a full list of ways to Fight Back with the Triple A’s, just click here and read more at the blog!
A lot of people may think, “Sure, it’s easy for Dr. Russ to come up with all of these optimistic ideas…he’s not the one living with cancer!” Well, you’re right, he’s not a cancer patient, but rest assured, he is practicing what he preaches!
Dr. Russ had open heart surgery on Tuesday, June 15, and leading up to surgery, he made a list of excellent Russ Bussters that he would personally use as he worked to hold his pre-surgery anxiety at bay, foster the optimistic attitude he would have going into the OR, and the maintain the positive attitude he would need over the long road to recovery.
Examples of Affirmations and Imagery for Heart Surgery and Recovery
- Dr. Russ was provided a pre-surgical audio recording that helps him relax and imagine all of the helpful post-surgical care that he will receive and how he will collaborate with the nurses and other caregivers. He listened to this CD many times before the surgery, and was even planning to have it playing on his iPod during the surgery itself…something the doctors recommended!
- Dr. Russ recognized that he could control his thoughts and confidence in his healthcare team—and thus decided that for him, it was right to have the surgery done at the famed Cleveland Clinic.
- In terms of waking up, immobilized, in recovery, Dr. Russ tried to imagine the artificial medical devices going in and out of his body as tools to support and help him. He thought: “Perhaps an image of part man, part robot would be helpful here, i.e., everything working together for my benefit. Perhaps I could think of myself as floating in outer space on artificial support for awhile, on my way to Mars or Jupiter or somewhere; just at peace relaxing with no cares.”
To read more about his journey and how Dr. Russ is putting all of his optimism to good use in the face of this major surgery, click here.
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By Dr. Russ,
On June 12 and 13th, the East Lansing, American Cancer Society, 2010, Relay for Life Event will be held at the East Lansing Soccer Complex, 3700 Coleman Rd. It will begin with the Opening Ceremony at 10 am Saturday and conclude with the Fight Back and Closing Ceremonies at 9 am Sunday.
- If you have never been to a Relay for Life Event, just come on out, bring the kids and walk around for an hour. You will be amazed at all the activity and things to do. “JUST SHOW UP FOR OPTIMISM.”
- Watch the balloon release during the “Survivor Ceremony” as those who have lost a loved one to cancer release a balloon bound for heaven in their honor; experience more optimism.
- At dusk take a walk around the track as luminaries are lit to "fire up your optimism" in honor of cancer survival.
- Think birthdays; think happy; think OPTIMISM and celebrate the “Relay for Life” theme of “More Birthdays.” Every year someone diagnosed with cancer lives, another birthday is celebrated.
- Walk around the track a few times and experience the optimism of exercise. Walk for few hours or more and make it an "optimism challenge task."
- Make a donation to the American Cancer Society and experience the optimism of giving to others.
- Make a bid in the “Silent Auction.” The optimism of silence is magnificent.
- Go around to the different Relay Teams hanging out in their tents and have a chat about what motivated them to do Relay. Experience the optimism of networking.
- Attend the Dr. Russ led “Fight Back” ceremony at 9am on Sunday to be inspired to take OPTIMISTIC ACTION to “fight back” to cancer with prevention and early detection behaviors.
- Commit to THE OPTIMISM of joining or forming a Relay Team for 2011.
FOR MORE OPTIMISM FROM DR. RUSS BUSS: CLICK HERE
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