I have always prayed that I do not become cynical. It seems to me that cynics have lost their hope.

I, on the other hand, want to maintain my innocence. I have optimism. I have hope. Sure, things aren't so good right now, but that can change. The sun still rises in the east. Each snowflake is different. Every day is cause for new hope.

Hope is the thing that makes us live. Without hope, how could we go on? Hope makes us know that each day can be better...the next person we meet may be that special someone...we can be happy.

Hope make us fight for our rights. Hope makes the sky bluer and the sun brighter. Hope leads to optimism. Optimism is knowing everything will work out, even when it seems nearly impossible. It makes you believe you can do anything.

Optimism is hope in living form. It is the belief that what is wanted can be had...that what is needed will occur...that what may be can happen. It is trusting and relying that all is not random, there is a plan.

Optimism and hope are my way of life. I trust that things will work...I understand that when the sky is dark, the sun will shine again. I know that what I do has meaning when I can still hope.

Life has never been easy. Life has never been fair. Optimism makes this OK. You know that you can take anything that is handed to you and benefit from it. You rely on that...hope.

I have been called naive, gullible, idealistic, foolish and stupid and I am proud of it. Much better to be known for your trust than to be labeled critical, cynical, skeptical or suspicious. I know that in this world of mistrust and greed my optimism may not always be a healthy emotion. That is why I will tell people I am afflicted with "terminal optimism".

What type of person are you?  Do you look at the glass and rejoice that is is still half full...or do you despair that it is half empty?  I am the type that rejoices.  Look, I think to myself, I still have some!  Life is a choice.  Only you can choose how to act...how to feel...how to respond.  I love being happy, so I am happy.  I choose to be happy.  I focus on the good things and try to find a way to make the bad things good.

Below is a link to a site that will test your optimism.  Go figure, I tested "Highly Optimistic"...no surprise to me!  It seems to be a study someone at the University of Kentucky is doing.  So, you can have fun and help someone, the best of both worlds!  Go try it.

Where does hope come from?  I believe my hope comes from the belief that everything is part of a plan.  This is not a random world, look at the way the human body is put together.  I find it hard to believe that we evolved from a single cell organism into what we are today through some random mutations.  The human body is too finely tuned a machine to be random.

Having hope and being optimistic will actually make you happier.  Happiness makes life easier, even during hard times.  Part of being optimistic is finding ways to overcome hard times.  Hope is the belief that overcoming is possible.  Sometimes, just acting silly will change the way we view life.  Check out the video link below.  Very goofy, but kind of fun.