The Importance of Positive Thinking in Healthy Families

“Life is a shipwreck but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats”.  -Voltaire

We loved this quote so much that we chose to include it instead of many other wonderful quotes on positivity in our discussion about seeing the positive in How’s Your Family Really Doing? A crucial element of being resilient, or bouncing back from trauma and loss in families, is the ability to find a silver lining in times of hardship. The world is hungry for heroes, and often the heroic instinct surfaces in our darkest moments of need.

It is no accident that the miraculous story of a previously unsung hero climbed quickly to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. If you have not already done so, and need inspiration, read the book Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, the extraordinary story of Louis Zamperini, the World War II vet who survived both his shipwreck and long imprisonment as a POW in the South Pacific. As more and more families have been affected by sons and daughters fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, we need to find ways both to honor our heroes and also to help families to survive in the face of adversity.

This quote is also important because the words and ideas of Voltaire, a prolific and inspiring writer from the French Enlightenment, are as relevant today as they were in the 1700’s when they were written. Voltaire was a great advocate of civil liberties including freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. He was willing to stand up for his beliefs and was imprisoned for doing so. We know that parents who lead by example, who teach their children by praising their efforts, and who use mistakes as teachable moments give the gift of positive thinking and foster resiliency. Parents can also do this through encouraging positive behaviors like volunteering, supporting local causes, celebrating family milestones, and taking the time to play together. As Voltaire also said,“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”