McElligot's Pool

This wonderful book by Dr. Seuss is nothing less than a celebration of positivity. A lot of research has gone into the area of Positivity of late. We know being positive means being happier. We also know it brings wonderful health results. And all it takes – easier said than done, of course – is a shift in attitude.

When a farmer happens upon a young lad named Marco fishing, he calls him a fool and tells him, "You'll never catch fish in McElligot's Pool!" But the boy is not deterred, despite the famer's laundry list of reasons why there are no fish in the pond.

There will always be people in your life who tell you that you can't, that what you want won't happen, that you're a fool for having dreams and believing they can come true. If you listen to those people, you'll put away your fishing rod and go home. Too bad! With a little imagination and some effort – it always takes effort – you can have what you want. If you really, really want it.

And that's the gist of McElligot's Pool. Marco doesn't give up just because he's given a litany of reasons to do so. Nope. Instead he imagines all the wonderful possibilities. And you should too. This is your life. This is the one you've got. You can make of it whatever you want.

Positivity opens us. It let's us see more roads, entertain more options. Barbara Fredrickson, in her research on positivity, has demonstrated that when people are put in a positive frame of mind, their outlook expands and they can see the big picture. When they're first made to experience something neutral or negative, their peripheral vision (yes, their actual peripheral vision) shrinks.

If you can change the way you see whatever happens to you – if you can see negative events as temporary, affecting only part of your whole life, and not being ALL your fault — you'll create more positive energy and hope for yourself, no matter how difficult or negative the circumstances with which you must deal. So arriving at a polluted pool won't stop you from imagining all the fish you may catch.

Martin Seligman, a psychologist with the University of Pennsylvania, wrote a book called Learned Optimism: How to change your mind and your life. He believes that optimism isn't just an innate trait — something that we're born with – but can be developed even in the face of difficult circumstances. At the core of Seligman's learned optimism is one powerful idea: Your thoughts influence your feelings and your actions. And you can choose your thoughts.

Listen to the naysayers and you'll make them right. Believe in yourself and look for the opportunities to make the life you want and you can find fish in McElligot's Pool.

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