BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM At The Optimist Daily, we believe that good news isn’t just nice to hear. Hope is essential for building a brighter world. That’s why this new research out of the University of Missouri struck a hopeful chord: it suggests that one simple emotion may shape our lives in more powerful ways than we thought. And it’s not happiness or even gratitude. It’s hope. While happiness often steals the spotlight in conversations about well-being, researchers found that hope might be even more essential. Not the vague kind of wishful thinking, but real, grounded hope; the belief that tomorrow can be better than today. That belief, it turns out, may be what gives life its deepest sense of meaning. Hope is more than motivation For years, psychologists have linked hope with goal-setting and motivation. But this latest research suggests hope is much more than that. According to study lead author Megan Edwards, hope is “a vital emotional experience that enriches life’s meaning.” Edwards, now a postdoctoral scholar at Duke University, and her colleagues conducted six experiments with over 2,300 participants from diverse backgrounds. Their goal: to understand which emotions most strongly predict a sense of meaning in life. Again and again, hope stood out. While positive emotions like happiness, excitement, and contentment had some benefits, only hope consistently correlated with a deeper sense of purpose. A meaningful life starts with hope Why does hope matter so much? Because feeling like life has meaning impacts nearly every part of our well-being. From emotional health to strong relationships, physical vitality to financial stability, meaning is a powerful force, and hope helps us find it. “Experiencing life as meaningful is crucial for just about every good thing you can imagine in a person’s life,” said co-author Professor Laura King. “And hope is one of the things that make life feel meaningful.” Hope doesn’t just reflect how things are. It expresses our belief that things can improve. It turns struggle into possibility. What makes hope so unique? Other positive emotions are often tied to specific moments. Happiness is about the now. Gratitude looks to the past. But hope? Hope looks forward. It invites us to imagine that something better is coming, even when today is difficult. That forward-facing energy helps people persist through setbacks, apply for the next job after a rejection, or reach out for help when they feel low. Unlike fleeting joy, hope has staying power. It can grow quietly in the background, shaping how we move through life. This may be why it has such a profound impact on our sense of meaning. Hope isn’t a luxury—it’s essential Hope doesn’t require perfect conditions to exist. In fact, it often shows up most clearly in tough times. It keeps us grounded in the idea that challenges are temporary, and change is always possible. At the Optimist Daily, we see this in the stories we share—from communities rebuilding after disaster to young leaders sparking change. Hope fuels action. It keeps people trying. And as this research reminds us, it helps us feel like our lives truly matter. Simple ways to grow hope in daily life The good news? You don’t need a total life makeover to cultivate hope. Here are a few small, practical ways to invite more hope into your everyday: Notice the good moments. A peaceful walk, a kind word, or a moment of quiet joy. These are reminders that good things are still happening. Take small steps forward. Progress, even in tiny increments, can help us feel more in control. Celebrate movement. Whether it’s healing, learning, or simply making it through a hard day, honor those wins. Care for something. Tending to a plant, a pet, or another person reminds us that the future matters. Remember that nothing stays the same. Life is always shifting. Even when things feel stuck, hope whispers that better days are possible. Where the research is heading This study is just the beginning. The researchers hope to explore how hope functions during life’s most challenging seasons, like illness, grief, or uncertainty. Their work points to something powerful: hope isn’t just a fleeting emotion. It’s a practice. One that can carry us through darkness and into meaning. In a world that often feels chaotic or overwhelming, hope is not naive. It’s necessary. And it’s something we can choose to build, every single day. Source study: Emotion—Hope as a meaningful emotion: Hope, positive affect, and meaning in life.The post Why hope may matter more than happiness, according to new research first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.