hope

Cultivating Hope

Cultivating Hope

Have you been in as what has seemed to be the darkest of nights, a night so dark that the sun never seems like it is going rise? Deep down, however, was there a part of you that knew the sun was going to rise and that the night would end? I am willing to bet that even in the darkest moments, there are parts of us that know the sun will shine again. I am also willing to bet that hope is what got you through those dark nights. If you are in your own dark night now, hold on. It is much easier said than done, but have hope. If you are wondering how to have hope, this post will describe ways to have hope.

Learned Hopefulness: A New Approach to Hope

Learned Hopefulness: A New Approach to Hope

    We often use the word hope to express wishful thinking. We often use phrases like, “I hope it doesn’t rain today,” “Hopefully, I don’t get sick," “I hope my test goes well,” or “Hopefully, I get the job.” When we say things like this, the unspoken belief is that nothing else we do will influence how things turn out. However, hope is a unique positive emotion that can help us recognize our ability to take control and move toward our goals despite setbacks and challenges. 

7 Practical, Healthy Ways to Find Comfort While Grieving

7 Practical, Healthy Ways to Find Comfort While Grieving

Everyone encounters grief at various points in their life, even though each person's circumstances are unique. Although grief is a universal experience, no one has quite figured out the best way to navigate through it. That's because grief is an impossibly complex response to losing someone or something you held in great value. In other words, grief – while painful – is necessary, and one of the cornerstones of being human.


While there’s no easy method for dispelling grief, there are a number of strategies that can allow you to grieve in a more healthy, productive manner. As you process your own loss, try to make use of the following grieving tips from My Best Self 101 that have helped so many others before.

Optimism: How to Find a Bright Future

Optimism: How to Find a Bright Future

What did I learn from delving into optimism? It’s not enough to just have specific hope for things; having an overall worldview that’s positive and encourages growth is just as important as believing in your own merits and effort. Trusting in a perspective that doesn’t allow us to become helpless to what happens to us is really important when it comes to optimism, and it certainly isn’t just believing in sunshine and roses around us. When we feel stuck, optimism can be a powerful tool that enables us to seek for the view that encourages us to move forward.