I need to be honest upfront: I don’t actually think the universe is some conscious entity plotting to help hopeful people.
But I’ve noticed something weird over the past few years. The people who expect good things to happen seem to have more good things happen to them. Not because of cosmic intervention, but because of how hope changes the way they move through the world.
Let me tell you about my friend Maya, who somehow always lands on her feet. Then I’ll explain the psychology behind why this isn’t magic – it’s just how brains work.
The Friend Who Always Gets Lucky
Maya got laid off from her marketing job six months ago. Most people would panic, send out desperate applications, and spend weeks doom-scrolling job boards.
Maya? She treated it like an opportunity. She used her severance to take a course she’d always wanted to try. She reached out to old colleagues not to ask for jobs, but to grab coffee and catch up. She started freelancing for fun projects that interested her.
Within three months, two different opportunities came through her network. Not because the universe rewarded her positive attitude, but because her hopeful approach created more possibilities.
She was looking for opportunities instead of just problems.
The Reticular Activating System
Your brain has this thing called the reticular activating system (RAS). It’s basically a filter that decides what information gets your conscious attention.
Think about when you’re considering buying a specific car model. Suddenly you see that car everywhere. The cars were always there – your brain just started noticing them.
Hope works the same way. When you expect good things to happen, your brain starts filtering for evidence that good things are possible. You notice opportunities that were always there but invisible to a pessimistic mindset.
This isn’t mystical. It’s neuroscience.
The Confirmation Bias of Optimism
Confirmation bias usually gets a bad rap – we tend to look for evidence that supports what we already believe. But when your baseline belief is “good things can happen to me,” confirmation bias becomes your ally.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania shows that optimists notice and remember positive events more readily than pessimists (Seligman, 1991). They also interpret neutral events more favorably.
A hopeful person sees a networking event as a chance to meet interesting people. A pessimistic person sees it as a room full of people who might reject them. Same event, different filter, different outcomes.
How Hope Changes Your Energy
People can sense your energy before you even speak. When you expect good things, you show up differently.
You make eye contact more easily. You ask questions from genuine curiosity instead of desperation. You share ideas instead of just waiting for your turn to talk. You treat interactions as potential connections rather than potential disappointments.
Maya didn’t get those job offers because the universe loved her positive vibes. She got them because her hopeful energy made people want to help her and work with her.
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Expectation
Sociologist Robert Merton discovered that when people believe something will happen, they unconsciously behave in ways that make it more likely to happen.
If you believe a conversation will go well, you smile more, listen better, and contribute more positively. If you believe an opportunity exists, you look for it more actively. If you believe people are generally good, you give them more chances to prove you right.
Hope isn’t passive waiting. It’s active preparation for the good things you expect to come.
What Hopeful People Do Differently
They take more calculated risks. Because they believe good outcomes are possible, they’re willing to try things that pessimists avoid. More attempts mean more chances for success.
They build stronger networks. Hopeful people are more generous with others because they believe in abundance rather than scarcity. People remember this and reciprocate when they can.
They persist longer. When setbacks happen, hopeful people see them as temporary obstacles rather than permanent roadblocks. They keep trying when others give up.
They notice partial successes. While pessimists focus on what went wrong, optimists notice what went right and build on it.
The Danger of Magical Thinking
I want to be clear about something: hope is not the same as magical thinking.
Magical thinking says “if I just believe hard enough, the universe will give me what I want.” That’s not helpful and can lead to disappointment when reality doesn’t match expectations.
Practical hope says “good things are possible if I keep looking for opportunities and taking thoughtful action.” That’s psychology, not mysticism.
The difference is crucial. One makes you passive, the other makes you active.
When Hope Feels Impossible
Some days, hope feels ridiculous. When you’re dealing with job loss, relationship problems, health issues, or financial stress, “expecting good things” can sound like toxic positivity.
In those moments, hope doesn’t mean pretending everything is fine. It means believing that your current situation isn’t permanent. That small improvements are possible. That you have some agency, even in difficult circumstances.
Even tiny hope can shift how you see your options.
My Own Experience with This
I used to think optimistic people were naive or lucky. I prided myself on being “realistic” about how hard life is.
But realistic thinking kept me small. I didn’t apply for opportunities I might not get. I didn’t start conversations with people who seemed out of my league. I prepared for disappointment so thoroughly that I created it.
When I started practicing hope – not blind optimism, but practical expectation of possibility – my life didn’t magically transform. But my approach to it did.
I started noticing chances I’d previously overlooked. I began conversations I’d previously avoided. I took risks I’d previously talked myself out of.
The “universe” didn’t change. My attention and actions did.
Read More: How Your Body Creates Emotions Before Your Mind Knows What’s Happening
How to Cultivate Practical Hope
Look for evidence that good things happen. Your brain will find whatever you’re looking for. Start looking for examples of people succeeding, problems getting solved, and situations improving.
Take small actions toward what you want. Hope without action is just wishful thinking. Action without hope is just grinding. You need both.
Surround yourself with hopeful people. Pessimism and optimism are both contagious. Choose your influences carefully.
Practice seeing setbacks as information rather than verdicts. What can you learn? What can you try differently next time?
Read More: I Wish I Could Give Myself a Hug
The Truth About Lucky People
Richard Wiseman studied people who considered themselves lucky versus unlucky. He found that “lucky” people created their own luck through four principles: maximizing opportunities, listening to intuition, expecting good fortune, and turning bad luck into good.
The universe isn’t playing favorites. Some people have just learned to play the game better.
They’ve trained their brains to notice possibilities instead of just problems. They’ve developed habits that create more opportunities for good things to happen.
What’s one small way you could start expecting good things in your life this week?
