This website or its third-party tools use cookies which are necessary to its functioning and required to improve your experience. By clicking the consent button, you agree to allow the site to use, collect and/or store cookies.
Please click the consent button to view this website.
I accept
Deny cookies Go Back

Openforwards: Counselling Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Birmingham

Birmingham City-Centre Psychology Service offering Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), ACT, EMDR and Compassion-focused Therapy, professional training and well-being consultancy.

Get in touch

Call now to book an appointment:
Tel. 0121 523 1108

  • CBT & Counselling
    • CBT for Anxiety
    • CBT & Counselling for Depression
    • CBT & Counselling for Work-related Stress
    • CBT Therapy for Confidence Building & Self Esteem
    • Trauma-focused CBT Therapy after abuse or injury
    • Therapy for Marriage / Couples
  • Professional Training
    • An Introductory Training in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
    • Acceptance Commitment Therapy Training Level 2
    • ACT for Long-term Conditions
    • Therapist Wellbeing Training
    • ACT / CBT Supervision
    • Well-being Consultancy
  • Community
  • Meditations
  • FREE Articles
    • Podcast
    • About Therapy
    • weekly round-up
    • Mental Wellbeing & Self Care
      • Anxiety
      • Depression
      • Flashbacks Trauma & Trust
    • Relationships
    • Stress at Work
      • Burnout
    • Physical Health & Exercise
    • Personal Development & Growth
      • Confidence Building & Self Esteem
    • Family, Community & Prosocial Society
    • Training in ACT
      • Clinical Supervision
  • Team
  • Contact
  • Login
You are here: Home / Family, Community & Prosocial Society / [weekly] Have yourself a stubbornly optimistic Christmas

December 24, 2020 by jim lucas

What do you want for Christmas?  I’m on the lookout for some stubborn optimism

The situation keeps changing.

Naturally, so too do the rules, and it’s hard to keep up.

My Christmas plans have changed five times in the last few weeks.

We’re not in control of what happens, and it’s full of disappointment, frustration and helplessness.

The spread of Covid reminds me of how easy it is to fall into a powerless mindset. There is so much that you can’t control right now.

Last time I spoke to you about searching for the hero inside yourself. Today, I want to invite you to spot the light as well as the shadows.

We are, of course, not completely helpless. There is a lot you can do too.

Viktor Frankl, holocaust survivor and author of ‘Man’s search for meaning’, reminds us that you can always choose no matter how adverse your situation. You can lose everything, yet you will still retain one final human freedom; to choose one’s attitude.

This Christmas, I’m choosing stubborn optimism. I appropriated this idea from Christiana Figueres, the Paris Agreement’s key architect and author of ‘The Future We Choose’. She chooses unwavering optimism not about the outcome of climate change, but for the INPUT to any challenge.

We need clear and powerful visions of what we want from life; even if that is how you want today to be. ‘Life’ needn’t be this idealistic thing that only exists just around the corner. It is here and now. You merely need to choose how you want to be in this moment.

Take care of yourself this Christmas. Enjoy, appreciate and look for the fun and beauty in what is here.

See you soon.

Jim

Filed Under: Family, Community & Prosocial Society, weekly round-up Tagged With: climate change

About jim lucas

Jim is the Founder and Managing Director of Openforwards. He is a BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist / Supervisor & a Teaching Fellow at University of Birmingham School of Psychology.

He writes articles, records podcasts and creates online courses to give you the opportunity to get the knowledge, skills and support to help you feel and cope better.

GO BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

Share in our weekly round-up of ideas from around the world to help you work, love, play and feel better

Send me the wisdom

What would you like to read about?

  • About Therapy
  • Anxiety
  • Burnout
  • Confidence Building & Self Esteem
  • Depression
  • Family, Community & Prosocial Society
  • Flashbacks Trauma & Trust
  • Mental Wellbeing & Self Care
  • OCD
  • Personal Growth
  • Physical Health & Exercise
  • Relationships
  • Stress at Work
  • Training in ACT
  • weekly round-up

Most Recent Posts

[weekly] Do you feel under pressure at work?

Do you feel under pressure at work? April is Stress Awareness Month in the UK. Did you know that stress accounts for around half of all sick days, so it’s a big problem? Many organisational factors cause stress in employees, e.g. excessive workload and administration. Work-related stress is also a warning sign for burnout, depression and physical health problems such as […]

8 Surprisingly Effective Ways to stop procrastinating and turn you into a Master of Commitment.

8 Surprisingly Effective Ways to stop procrastinating Did you ever wonder what the difference is between people who are good at committing to things and those that are bad? It’s not what you think. It’s not that you were born that way. Nor is it your personality-type. Masters of commitment follow a useful set of […]

[weekly] I’m still standing

Are you still standing? Another weekend and another week of lockdown are over.  If you’re wondering how many more weeks you can suffer, then you are not alone. You know that, of course. Most days feel like I’m getting shoved between ‘man this is tough’ and ‘yes, but many more people have it worse.’ It’s […]

[weekly] Have yourself a stubbornly optimistic Christmas

What do you want for Christmas?  I’m on the lookout for some stubborn optimism The situation keeps changing. Naturally, so too do the rules, and it’s hard to keep up. My Christmas plans have changed five times in the last few weeks. We’re not in control of what happens, and it’s full of disappointment, frustration […]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

What are you looking for?

  • Therapy for Anxiety
  • Therapy for Depression
  • Work Stress Therapy
  • Therapy for Confidence Building & Self Esteem
  • Trauma Therapy for Trust Issues
  • Marriage & Couples Counselling
  • Training & Supervision for Therapists

FREE Well-being Resources

  • Podcast: Self Help Sat Nav
  • Mindfulness Meditations

SUPPORT

  • FAQs & Information about Therapy

Not sure what you need?

Speak to a Therapist

Members

Psychology Services

  • Join our Community
  • Consultancy Services
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitisation ReProcessing (EMDR)
  • Learn
Openforwards Award 2019

Openforwards Ltd, The Jewellery Business Centre, 95 Spencer Street, BIRMINGHAM, UK.

Tel. 0121 523 1108

Company

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • The Openforwards Method
  • UniWellbeing

Legal

  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 Openforwards Ltd