Life is a road full of minor inconveniences and major setbacks, which everyone faces, 16 wealth or social rank. That is why optimism, the ability to see the 17 side of every negative situation, is key to success.
What made optimism so meaningful to me was when I 18 the A team of the basketball club for the upcoming season. I had always been the starting point guard, and my 19 on the A team was something I took for granted. However, I only made the B team, 20 I worked my hardest. I didn’t understand why until I saw the new A team, crowded with players that all 21 me.
I had to give the B team a chance. But to my 22, the play level was much lower than what I was used to. I lost the drive I’d had before and gradually became 23.
One day I came across a social media post of another basketball team, whose point guard was much more 24 than her teammates. When her teammates made multiple mistakes _25_, which cost them several points, I expected her to be upset, but _26_, she patted her teammates on the back and comforted them. As I watched her more, I noticed that she led her team, always _27_ and uplifting her teammates.
The realization hit me like lightning. What I thought was a _28_ turned out to be a valuable opportunity, presenting a rare chance to develop _29_. So, I started using my _30_ to be a leader for my team. When our coach needed a(n) _31_, I was the first to raise my hand. When my teammates needed help with a skill, I _32_ taught them over and over again. My effort paid off as I _33_ remarkably not just as a player, but as a person — something I could have never achieved on the A team.
When facing challenges in life, some people _34_ them with optimism, while others tend to complain. Optimism is a palette, with which you can paint your own light in the darkness, shelter in a storm, and most importantly, a better _35_ of yourself!

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