Optimism Returning Even Amidst Problems

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In writing my newest book, The Optimism Advantage, I was amazed at the research that counters the common notion of optimism. It isn't motivation on hype. Optimism is earned through a track record of overcoming obstacles. The more obstacles you have overcome in the past, the more you believe you can do it again. With age, that is more likely to happen. As I wrote on my blog http://www.optimismadvantage.com, that is why true optimists are realists--they want to know what they face so they can get busy doing what they can to problem solve.
In light of this, the Optimism barometer improving makes sense. People are facing the new normal and getting busy doing what they can to improve their situation. I've presented to Northwestern Mutual leaders; they have good hard-core American values focused on inventing a better future for those they serve.
Instead of just watching the negative news, we all need to work together to make the best of a poor hand. Optimists will. Too many are waiting and watching for hope to come out of Washington. Sorry, the fairy Godmother isn't coming. The American Dream still lives because Americans work to invent their future.

Terry Paulson, PhD of CA 4:05PM April 15, 2010

I could not find a way to comment on your "Determine Your Future Social Security Benefits" article that was posted on Yahoo on 4/7/10, so I have provided a key comment here.
It is very important for those planning for retirement to adjust the quoted social security payout based on the likelihood that SS will actually pay out the benefits promised according to the benefits schedule. For people who are now retired (or about to retire) the likelihood that your numbers are in the ball park is high. For those, like myself who will retire in 15-20 years, we need to assume that those numbers will be 25-30% less than quoted (adjusted for inflation) since the government will not have the funding to make the current payments.
Unfortunately, the unregulated, irresponsible risk taking that our financial industry took in the 2000’s (without any real negative consequences since the I and the rest of the US public bailed them out) only makes matters worse for Social Security. Before we had unsustainable Social Security & Medicare costs. Now, in addition to those, we have unsustainable Medicaid, unemployment, healthcare, and trillions of dollars in US debt to repay.
I personally expect Social Secuity to be the worst significant "investment" I've made in my life. I expect to lose money over the 50 year period that I've "invested" in it.
John Steely

John Steely of PA 11:28AM April 07, 2010