By DMA Senior Ashlee Feeley

After 2 weeks of my senior year I wanted to transfer out of one of my classes so I went to an administrator to see what classes were available and sparked my interest. She read a bunch of different classes but the one that stood out to me was Optimistic Mindset. I said I want that one, and transferred right into the class. It has been one of the best classes I have taken at DMA. 

The first day I came into this class we meditated, which was something I had never done before, so I was like, “Hmm, what is this class all about?” Turned out loving meditating and doing it every single day before we started our class conversation. Being the new kid in Optimistic Mindset I was nervous, but everyone welcomed me and I quickly became a part of our everyday conversations. Being in this class just taught me how supportive a well rounded environment can be. This class was surrounded by positivity and it was a judge free environment. Everyone in class feels like they can speak their mind and we can have a conversation without being judged on our opinion.

This class was very interesting every day. This class included both seniors and juniors so we got to hear about different aspects of the school from different perspectives. Everyone’s voice was heard regardless of whether we disagreed or did not like what someone was saying. I learned that in any situation people are going to have different opinions than you and that is okay. When I was younger I used to think that my opinion was the only one that mattered and the people that disagree were dumb. This was awful of me, but now that I have taken this course, my whole mindset has changed 100%. 

What stood out to me the most from this class was that we talked a lot about happiness. People think money, straight A’s, a dream car, a dream house are things that are going to make you happy, but we saw the research showing that these things only make you happy for a short period of time. In the long run, materialistic things will not make us happy. Instead, you will become happy by surrounding yourself with people who care for you, giving to others, making time for friends and family, meditating, developing new relationships, smiling, having gratitude, and more. It is not all about money and who has the nicest car or biggest house. It’s truly about who enjoys everyday and lives like it is their last.

This class really encouraged and inspired me to branch out and do things that I usually would not do. It made me speak up more and talk in a group setting rather than just keeping everything to myself. This class has made me realize that there are many people out there who do not have a teacher like Mr. Shelton who takes the time to sit down and talk to everyone about different topics and everyday situations that happen. I had the privilege to really understand and dig deeper into topics that I would not normally talk about. 

Optimistic Mindset offers many different awesome topics and worldwide perspectives on different ideas. This class has really brought me closer to understanding everything happens for a reason and to be grateful for what you have because there are others who are not as fortunate. It taught me to make the best life and make a change because you only get one life to make a difference in this world. Sitting back and watching everything happen around you will not make a change in the long run. There is positive in every situation; Choose to see the good when there is bad. Overall, I highly recommend taking this class and giving yourself the ability to learn as much as I did. Taking this class will benefit you in many different ways!