The Importance of Resilience and Optimism: Professor Dobson’s Story
Written by: Malia Chung
Sharon Dobson is a lecturer at the Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) and is proudly retiring this summer after 35 years at Cal Poly. As a beloved member of both the finance and dance communities in SLO, she has left an incredible impact on all who have met her.
Having taught a wide range of business classes, from economics to accounting, marketing to finance, many students know and love her classroom environment and have felt the impact she brings to any subject she teaches. Along with a challenging syllabus, Dobson adds that extra credit can be earned from attending dance shows as a small gesture of appreciation for the art form.
WIB members had the opportunity to hear Dobson share her story on May 14 at the general club meeting. She emphasized the resilience she had gained throughout her journey, detailing how it had affected both her personal and professional life.
Dobson began by explaining that she was adopted and grew up not knowing her birth mother. After years of carrying that label and feeling perceived differently because of it, she said she chose forgiveness instead of focusing on the pain.
She said learning more about her birth mother’s situation helped her reach that forgiveness. Her birth mother was 16, growing up in the Midwest, and traveled all the way to San Diego to give birth before placing Dobson for adoption. Through that, Dobson said she came to a place of radical acceptance.
“You have to learn through practice what you can control and what you can’t. It is what it is, and I can handle it… Radical acceptance is not approval. It's not a weakness to accept your current situation, Dobson shared. “When you stop fighting reality, you can release the energy in the suffering and focus it on meaningful change and emotional healing.”
With every challenge Dobson faces, she uses positivity to overcome it. Choosing to think of the good, she states how “being more optimistic means turning a setback into an opportunity for a stronger comeback.” This mindset has aided her in succeeding through every aspect of her life. Whether it would be caring for her students as if they were her own children, or applying the skills she has gained through dance in all her hobbies and careers.
“Every day I look within through the lens of optimism. I've gamified my struggles. I like taking a moment that seems like a challenge and finding the beauty and joy in it.”
During the meeting, Dobson was asked about how she achieved her radical acceptance.
“It just came naturally, honestly, for survival. You find a way to make the most of every day… I don't waste any moment of the day feeling sorry for myself, because a wasted day does not do my birth mother justice.”
Dobson said much of her outlook is rooted in gratitude for her birth mother, and she shared that she is on a personal journey to find her. After taking an AncestryDNA test, Dobson said she found a promising lead and plans to pursue it after retiring at the end of the summer quarter. She said she hopes to find her birth mother and thank her for giving her the gift of life.
Reiterating the importance of overcoming challenges by shifting your perspective and enforcing the advantages of using radical acceptance and optimism, Dobson left students with a powerful message:
“My worth is not defined by other people’s perceptions of me. Don't ever think that your worth is defined by others’ perceptions of you. Your worth is defined by who you are.”