tertiary · Transcendence

Optimism

Part of the Character Strengths Wheel

What is Optimism?

The sustained belief that good outcomes are possible and that your own efforts can contribute to them. Optimism is not naivety — it is the motivational fuel that makes sustained effort possible.

When you might feel optimism

Optimism is a specific form of hope, which itself is a type of transcendence. You might experience this feeling in situations where transcendence is present, particularly when the circumstances align with the nuances that define optimism.

Emotional Hierarchy

TranscendenceHopeOptimism

Explore Optimism on the Interactive Wheel

Use our free interactive feeling wheel to explore optimism and discover related emotions.

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Related Emotions

Appreciation

The practice of noticing and acknowledging the good in your life — the people, m...

Thankfulness

An active, relational expression of recognition — letting others know that what ...

Future-Orientation

The ability to hold a compelling vision of what could be and allow it to guide p...

Playfulness

A light, irreverent engagement with life that refuses to take itself too serious...

Lightness

The ability to find and offer lightness in difficult moments — not as avoidance,...

Deep Respect

A deep sense of respect and awe in the presence of what is sacred, profound, or ...

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