Certain people around us seem to radiate optimism. The way they smile, laugh, and speak with hopefulness inspires possibility in our own thoughts – we become more hopeful simply by being around them. So where does their innate sense of positivity come from? The answer is different for every person, but there do seem to be a few habits that many hopeful people have in common.
1. Dreaming big. Hopeful people value abstract thought and constructive imagination. This mindset helps them see beyond current events and conditions to visualize great things for the future, inspiring others to do the same!
2. Choosing happiness. Hopeful people choose to see the goodness in life, instead of focusing on the negative. They move with optimism and proactivity in all that they do – hoping that each small action, over time, will help bring the future they have imagined.
3. Seeking inspiration. Hopeful people find encouragement in the tiniest instances. Simple moments – such as seeing a bird in winter, discovering plant life in urban areas, or overhearing a kind conversation on the street – can fuel the perpetual flame of hope they already carry within.
4. Working together. Hopeful people thrive on the collaboration of many minds. They view people who surround them in wonder of the unique abilities that each person might contribute towards creative projects, social initiatives, or community goals.
5. Living forward. Hopeful people excel at navigating life’s rough patches and finding new doors to walk through when others are closed. They may face rejection and disappointment, but the difference is that where others freeze, hopeful people keep on moving.
6. Embracing uncertainty. Hopeful people recognize the defining nature of our universe – that all things change over time. They see the impermanence of existence as a great window of opportunity – each day can bring some new change or new helpful dynamic, and conversely, they see that nothing bad can last forever.
7. Keeping wonder alive. The essential question that drives most hopeful people seems to be – “What’s around the next corner?” They live with the same wonder that we possessed as children, constantly seeking to explore and learn as much about this world as possible.
Hopefulness is certainly a special quality, but by no means is it limited to a select few people among us. By focusing on just one or two of the mindsets listed above, any one of us can begin living each day with just a bit more brightness and positivity in our thoughts. To live a hopeful life does not require a sea change in our mental landscape – it requires only a few new points of navigation added to the existing map.
