There are good times or bad in one's life. When we are happy the world seems to be opening its doors to us. When dejected, even one's own self seems at war with us. Optimism is the key to success. It makes us understand the different shades of life and find clues of happiness and success in it. John Ruskin said "Sunshine is delicious, rain refreshing. The wind braces us up, the snow exhilarates. There is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather". Successful people learn lessons from all experiences, whether good or bad. Even in worst of times, they look at light at the end of the tunnel and try to reach it. This is how optimism works. It may take time and energy to achieve your goal but believing in yourself and standing by your decisions makes things easier. A time comes when others also acknowledge your efforts and appreciate your success. Optimism is a mindset, an approach and a guiding light which brings inner strength to move forward and avail the opportunity to follow the path of true happiness. Optimism reveals the secrets of self, makes us understand others and act in a way to benefit all. It reduces negative feelings and biases and makes us stronger to overcome any ill feelings against others. It helps us find ways and alternatives to problems thus, making us capable of being fair in decisions. Optimism is a power that can be shared with others without any fear of losing something. How optimism helps in everyday life? It raises self-esteem leading to more self-confidence preparing an individual to face all situations, good or bad. It motivates an individual to pursue the goals worth having and achieve them. -ANWAR PARVEEN, Rawalpindi, January 4