Unlocking the Power of Hope, Optimism, and Human Flourishing
In the realm of tackling personal and societal hurdles, the concepts of hope and optimism emerge as guiding stars, steering us toward wellness and resilience. Harvard's Human Flourishing Program (hereon after I’ll call “The Flourishing Program”) dives deep into the intricate dance between hope and rational optimism in this eye-opening research. This program does an excellent job of conducting, reviewing, and making practical extrapolations from research on the elements that make us flourish.
Breaking Down Hope vs. Optimism
While often used interchangeably, Harvard’s Human Flourishing program recently shined a light on the unique essence of hope and optimism. Optimism is all about foreseeing a positive future, while hope goes beyond persisting even when the odds seem stacked against us. Drawing from Aquinas’ philosophy, hope becomes a force that propels us towards our goals, even in the face of adversity. Believing tomorrow will be better is optimism. What you can do to make it better is hope.
Unpacking Rational Optimism
In a world where skepticism reigns, there is rational optimism, a game-changer for personal and collective well-being. There are three key flavors:
1. Resourceful Optimism: Grounded in having the tools needed to achieve success.
2. Action-Oriented Optimism: Rooted in the drive to work hard towards a desired outcome.
3. Positive Perspective: Seeing the bright side of things, focusing on what’s working rather than what’s lacking.
Empirical Research on Hope
The Flourishing program champions empirical studies to deepen our grasp of hope and rational optimism, their origins, and their impact on individuals and societies. Their program aims to shed light on these concepts through innovative tools and collaborations and pave the way for a brighter future.
In a recent book, Learned Hopefulness: The Power of Positivity to Overcome Depression, I used their research to write about the new science of hope and the extraordinary research on cultivating, teaching, and maintaining hopefulness.
In The Positivity Effect: Simple CBT Skills to Transform Anxiety and Negativity into Optimism and Hope, I tapped into the research from their program, revealing the various ways positivity can be evoked and nurtured. They were among the first to look at how hope can increase throughout the lifespan and that those with higher hope have better physical well-being, such as fewer chronic diseases, lower all-cause mortality, higher measures of well-being, and better relationships.
Relevance in a Turbulent World
In times of division and uncertainty, Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program highlights the pivotal role of hope and rational optimism in uniting us toward progress. Regardless of our challenges, the sum of their work urges us to hold onto hope for a better tomorrow and work together towards common goals. We can steer society toward prosperity by embracing resourceful and action-oriented optimism and a positive outlook.
A Call to Action: Cultivate Hope Now More Than Ever Before
You need to appreciate its unparalleled features to understand how hope works. Hope is the only positive emotion that requires negativity or uncertainty to be activated. This is unique among all the positive emotions. As an example, joy and gratitude do not need uncertainty to be initiated. Hope is highly unique in this regard. Uncertainty is the number one condition for the experience of anxiety—which is most often the prelude to depression. Whether it be an individual or collective uncertainty, the experience of anxiety is almost always linked.
Times of transition in individual lives generate higher measures of uncertainty, and when society goes through times of major transition, there can be widespread uncertainty and anxiety that follows. As Carl Jung, the renowned psychoanalyst, once wrote, turbulent times can stir up the collective unconscious—the shared mental concepts among humans.
Jung suggested that this collective unconscious is triggered by “a crisis in the individual’s life and the collapse of hopes and expectations,” as well as during "times of great social, political, and religious upheaval.” Based on my work and the work of others, it seems that people may need more hope now than ever before. Turning on the news is all the verification you’ll need. If we consider Jung’s perspective, both the external and internal turmoil may be preparing us for significant change.
History shows us that when there is any significant change and transition, any difference needed in how we play our roles or any losses, we can expect uncertainty and anxiety. This is as true across the board. Change is a cause for uncertainty—but uncertainty is also a pre-condition for hope. Don't just focus on how uncertainty is linked to increased anxiety. Instead, consider how it also helps to foster hope.
Rational Optimism for Overcoming Obstacles
The key is identifying the importance of hope and rational optimism in overcoming obstacles, finding common ground, and encouraging a shift from blind positivity, defeatism, or apathy to a nuanced understanding of hope and its link to rational optimism. This serves as a rallying cry for individuals and societies to embrace these principles and forge a path toward a brighter future.
I applaud the consistently magnificent work of Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program. Their work offers a roadmap towards personal growth and societal advancement. We can navigate challenges with resilience, unity, and a shared vision for a better world by embracing a nuanced understanding of hope and rational optimism. You can learn more about their thoughtful and relevant contributions.
