40 Optimism Quotes To Make Your Day

Sometimes, it may seem like there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are optimistic and those who are not. People who are optimistic tend to have a positive outlook on life. They often stay hopeful and upbeat, even in trying times, and may believe they can improve their situations and overcome even the most difficult problems with the right approach.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, research suggests that people who rate themselves as optimistic may live longer and have lower cholesterol and less inflammation than people who do not. This may be biological, or it may be because they are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors. If you’re not an optimist, know that you’re not alone. Many people find it challenging to be optimistic during difficult times. However, with some time and effort, you may be able to change your mindset and see things in a more positive light.

Below, we’ll look at 40 optimism quotes to make you feel a little more hopeful.

Optimism quotes

1. “If I have the belief that I can do [something], I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning.” -Mahatma Gandhi

2. "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." -Anne Frank

3. "An optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery." -Walter Winchell

4. "I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present." -Rabindranath Tagore

5. "Forget about what you might have lost but instead focus on what you have room to gain." -Lindsey Rietzsch

6. "Work hard for what you want because it won't come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticizes you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive." -Leah LaBelle

7. "Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them." -Jack Canfield

8. "No matter what you're going through, there's a light at the end of the tunnel and it may seem hard to get to it but you can do it and just keep working towards it and you'll find the positive side of things." -Demi Lovato

9. "There is only one optimist. He has been here since man has been on this earth, and that is man himself. If we hadn't had such a magnificent optimism to carry us through all these things, we wouldn't be here. We have survived it on our optimism." -Edward Steichen

10. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” -Helen Keller

11. “I am an optimist. I choose to be. There is a lot of darkness in our well, there is a lot of pain. You can choose to see that, or you can choose to see the joy. If you try to respond positively to the world, you will spend your time better.” -Tom Hiddleston

12. "When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It's all a matter of perspective." -Harvey Mackay

13. "I'm an incurable optimist, and I'm a great believer in never looking back. Life is too short, and new challenges are exciting." -Cherie Blair

14. “Optimism doesn’t mean that you are blind to the reality of the situation. It means that you remain motivated to seek a solution to whatever problems arise.” -The Dalai Lama

15. "I am confident that, in the end, common sense and justice will prevail. I'm an optimist, brought up on the belief that if you wait to the end of the story, you get to see the good people live happily ever after." -Cat Stevens

16. "Stay positive and happy. Work hard and don't give up hope. Be open to criticism and keep learning. Surround yourself with happy, warm and genuine people." -Tena Desae

17. "In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact." -Les Brown

18. “I choose to feel optimistic.” -Kerry Washington

19. "Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success." -Shiv Khera

20."Love yourself. It is important to stay positive because beauty comes from the inside out." -Jenn Proske

21. "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose." -Lyndon B. Johnson

22. "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow." -Helen Keller

23"Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one." -Hans Selye

24. "A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success." -Joyce Brothers

25. "When you think positive, good things happen." -Matt Kemp

26. "I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we're all teachers - if we're willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks or wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door." -Marla Gibbs

27. "A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results." -Wade Boggs

28. "If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges." -Pat Riley

29. “Youthful cynicism is sad to observe, because it indicates not so much knowledge learned from bitter experiences as insufficient trust even to attempt the future.” -Maya Angelou

30. “For me, finding hope is not some philosophical exercise or sentimental notion; it is a prerequisite for my survival.” -John Green

31. "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses." -Alphonse Karr

32. “Hope will never be silent.” -Harvey Milk

33. "Don't ever become a pessimist… a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events." -Robert A Heinlein

34. "A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties." -Harry Truman

35. "The difference between an optimist and a pessimist? An optimist laughs to forget, but a pessimist forgets to laugh." -Tom Bodett

36. “Hope is contagious.” -Greta Thunberg

37. "An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." -Bill Vaughan

38. "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." -Willie Nelson

39. “It is in collectivities that we find reservoirs of hope and optimism.”-Angela Davis

40. “Can we overcome apathy? Yes, but only if we have hope.” -Jane Goodall

Learning to be more optimistic

The above optimistic quotes are not meant to downplay the real challenges that people face throughout life. If you find choosing to be optimistic isn’t making things easier or if you need help to get through a trying time, it may help to speak to a licensed therapist. 

If you’re not feeling well enough to participate in traditional in-office therapy, you might consider trying online therapy, which numerous studies have shown to be effective. In one study, adults with mild to moderate depression or anxiety who enrolled in online treatment resulted in “significant and clinically meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety scores” after 12 weeks, and the results were sustained for six months.

Online therapy allows you to connect with a licensed therapist via audio, video, live chat, or a combination of these methods. With an online therapy service like BetterHelp, you can also message your therapist any time through in-app messaging, and they’ll respond as soon as they can.

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