The Case for Hope
When awful things happen on a daily basis, hope can be a difficult thing to muster and maintain. Sometimes hope might not seem to make sense given the gravity of our problems or circumstances. Pessimism can be alluring. It may even seem like the wiser option. But are there moments where hope is the better choice and, actually, just what we need?
First, let’s explore why we gravitate to pessimism. In his book The Rational Optimist, Matt Ridley writes, “If you say the world has been getting better you may get away with being called naive and insensitive. If you say the world is going to get better, you are considered embarrassingly mad. If, on the other hand, you say catastrophe is imminent, you may expect a McArthur genius award or even the Nobel Peace Prize.” This prevailing preference toward negativity is not without reason. Bad things do happen and some degree of wariness helps us to avoid them and survive. Our brains are hard wired to look out for the worst case for the sake of our safety and security, sometimes making pessimism seem like it might be the best option.
But what kind of outcomes do we have when we become too pessimistic? What happens when we don’t believe that good things can happen? In his book, Mindfulness for Two, Kelly G. Wilson, a professor of psychology at the University of Mississippi, describes how he works with clients to build hope. He argues that not believing that good things are possible sells clients short. Certainly, having hope means we run the risk of disappointment. Yet the cost of unconsciously limiting ourselves and missing out on something wonderful is far greater.
Do you want to be wrong about thinking that something good was possible or right that it wasn’t?
In a recent Psychology Today article titled "How to Cultivate Hope: The secret is focusing on what you can control." (May 2023) Dan J. Tomasulo, Ph.D., writes, “People high in hope have sustainably better physical and mental well-being. They also tend to live longer and happier lives. High-hope people see, and respond to, the world differently, and they use their thoughts to focus on what they can control.”
He goes on to outline some steps for building optimism:
Set and achieve goals. We can’t just talk about doing things, we have to go out and do them. They need to be reasonable and achievable so we set ourselves up for success, not failure. Taking meaningful action usually begets future action.
Stick with positive people. Being around people who take action because they believe tomorrow might be better can rub off on us. This doesn’t mean we ignore struggles or challenges, we just don’t get stuck in negativity.
Focus on the present. Lay aside your regrets about the past or apprehensions about the future. Stick with what you can control, right here, right now. It can help to focus on what you have instead of what you don’t. There is good even in the midst of heartache.
Cultivating hope is challenging in a world where we have constant access to terrible news, but it’s worth the struggle. Sure, we may face disappointments from time to time, but believing in the ongoing potential for something good allows us to have richer, more meaningful lives.
