Need a pick-me-up? How about a splash of color in your life?

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”

-William Arthur Ward

This quote was put up on a screen at our Chief Scientific Officer’s retirement party back in 2017. While the party was very nice and well-intentioned on the surface, in reality it was a forced retirement. The whole Research and Development department was getting laid off and the CSO was at an age more appropriate for retirement than for a new job hunt. He was a very quiet and reserved man and, despite having been with the company for 4 years, I had no idea that he loved to sail. The PowerPoint slides running on the large screen were peppered with sailing photos and quotes, but this one really struck a chord with me. The company was forcing him out and hoping that he would find his footing. It was almost as if he were being told to look for alternatives. Nevertheless, he kept his smile on and was grateful for the warm send-off. He seemed ready to adjust the sails.

I have always considered myself a realist. In fact, when I was in my early 20’s, I equated realism to cynicism, with my mantra being:

“A cynic is an idealist whose rose-colored glasses has been removed, snapped into two and stumped into the ground, immediately improving his vision.”

– i-cynic.com

I was always afraid of being too hopeful, overly optimistic. I felt like excessive hope would make me face greater disappointment if things hadn’t worked out as I expected. While I do not believe in our thoughts and intentions being able to influence the outside world, I now realize the importance of outlook on life. Even for the sole purpose of personal well-being.

“Thoughts are the source of our goals, hopes, dreams, and ultimately our actions.”

– Ryder Carroll

Not only do we need to retain hope through the tough times; but also to have it ready to go, so we can appreciate the bright moments in our life. So here are a few works that I thought might help to cheer you up.

Who doesn’t love sparkles?!

Beyond the bright colors that will make you smile, it will also give you a confidence boost!

Displaying a piece of enigmatic SciArt will be a great conversation starter. And once you explain the backstory of the piece (which you will get along with it), you will be sure to impress your guests or coworkers.