Get Your Hopes Up!

I learned long ago that when someone said to me “but don’t get your hopes up” that I should ignore that advice completely. The excitement, anticipation and daydreaming that comes with getting your hopes up are all part of the best things in life. Go ahead and get your hopes up. Enjoy thinking about the possibility that you might go to Disneyworld when you’re ten, that cute guy might ask you to homecoming in tenth grade, you might get into your first choice of colleges, the next interview might land you your dream job, that finished manuscript might be picked up by a major American publisher. Oh, I really like that last one.

Have you entered a contest or lottery to win a million bucks? The odds are way against you, you know that, and you probably didn’t spend too much time fantasizing. But listen, most things in life are worth getting your hopes up for. The odds are fifty-fifty or better for normal life events (not contests) – so squeeze out a few excited giggles, bounce a bit in expectation and don’t be glum.

Let’s say you don’t get your heart’s desire this time. Oh, well, at least you experienced a part of the joy if you allowed yourself to be hopeful. If you didn’t get your hopes up then you had nothing – lose/lose.

Let those hopes fly and it’s at least win/lose and often win/win – much better options.

To those of you who don’t want to jinx things by getting your hopes up, I say stop being foolish and superstitious. What aren’t you letting yourself hope for? Think about it and GET YOUR HOPES UP.