I was reading a book earlier this week and came across a curious and lovely word: Pollyanna.

It means a person who can be “characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything.”

How fantastic is there a name for people who bring light and love — every day of the week.

And as I get older, I realize optimism is a muscle that we can practice. With life’s little twists, we have little control over what happens to us, but full control over how we feel about it. Often, we create a mental prison just because of our perspective.

I like this manifestation: “This is happening not to me, but for me.”

Not to say we can’t have bad days or sour outlooks — stubborn optimism does have a price.

But there’s something to be said about stepping back, taking a breath, and reframing our situation. What would a P do?