"Being hopeful makes you an optimist, which the APA defines as someone who 'anticipates positive outcomes, whether serendipitously or through perseverance and effort, and who [is] confident of attaining desired goals.'"
Having hope is something I personally have struggled with a great deal. I think years of feeling hopeless has made it seem less attainable. However, it is an intangible concept or idea that is always there. It's more of a matter of whether we believe and feel that it's ours to have and hold on to, at any time. I found this article helpful:
If you are finding it extremely challenging to feel hopeful on your own, see if you can find someone in your life who believes that there is hope for you, and your life, and your difficult life circumstances. I do believe that it is one hundred percent acceptable, maybe necessary, to hold on to someone else's hopes for you until you reach a point where you can believe in and hold that hope for yourself.
Hope doesn't vanish, although it may sometimes seem that way. Trust that it is always there, and since life can turn on a dime, it's worth striving for even when you feel that it is impossible.
