Instructions: Read the question and answer A, B or C. Answer the letter that is closest to what you would say or do in the scenario.
1. You are really looking forward to attending a friends wedding in a few weeks. You are out taking a brisk walk, trip over some broken up sidewalk and break your leg. Do you…
A. Immediately call the bride and groom to cancel.
B. Decide to wait a few days and see how you feel before canceling.
C. Let the bride and groom know that you are feeling optimistic about your recovery and plan to be there.
2. You apply for a job that you think you're highly qualified for. Two weeks have passed and you have heard nothing. Do you…
A. Feel depressed and worry that you won't ever have a job.
B. Decide to give it another couple of weeks before looking into other opportunities. You’ll wait it out.
C. Tell yourself that you have skills and potential and that a job will come eventually and keep looking.
3. Your birthday is a week away and no one has mentioned trying to make any plans to take you out or celebrate. Do you…
A. Assume people forgot or don't care.
B. Hope that if you wait a little longer, someone will mention it.
C. Assume that people will want to celebrate you and start talking with them about plans for your birthday.
4. You have an opportunity to be hired for a much higher paying job that is out of the range of your normal experience. Do you…
A. Decide there is no way you're capable and say no.
B. Feel uncertain about your skills and ask other people to convince you that you might be able to pull this off.
C. Feel certain that you could undertake and succeed at something new as long as you really tried and got help as needed.
4. Your best friend just moved out of the city that you live in. Do you…
A. Get very sad because you know that your relationship is over and that you will never find another best friend again.
B. Figure that you will keep at least a bit of a relationship and talk once in a while.
C. Assure yourself that if you work hard at staying connected, the two of you will stay close friends.
5. When you imagine yourself five years from now, do you…
A. Think things could be the same or worse.
B. Hope for the best but expect the worst.
C. Know that if you really want to and put your mind to it, you can build an even happier and more productive life.
6. You are in the mall and parked in a metered spot when you arrived. You suddenly realize that the meter may have run out a few minutes ago. You think…
A. I’m doomed! I bet my car was towed by now and my whole day is ruined.
B. I will probably get a ticket.
C. There is nothing I can do at this point in time and I will deal with whatever happens. Maybe if I hurry, I will get lucky and get there before something bad happens.
7. After a routine medical visit, you doctor was mildly concerned about a non-life threatening medical issue. It is suggested that you have a follow up test to assess if there is cause for concern Do you…
A. Call everyone and say you are very sick and might be dying.
B. Get frightened, insist on a second opinion and research every treatment under the sun.
C. Feel concerned, but know there isn’t a real reason to worry yet and wait for the test results.
The Answer:
If you answered mostly A’s you are a person that is not filled with very much hope. You tend to see life in a negative way, and not only do you not hope for the best, you tend to imagine the worst.
If you answered mostly B’s, you are a person who has moments of hopefulness, but you tend to wait until the situation looks positive before allowing yourself to be optimistic.
If you answered mostly C’s, you tend to be extremely hopeful. When times get tough, you try to be optimistic and look for the positive in a situation. People come to you in times of trouble, because they know you will see the silver lining.
For more information on the benefits of hope read “The Hope Monger” in our February 2014 issue. Or try out some daily actions of hope you can do with our “31 Ideas of Hope.”
Stacy Kaiser is a successful Southern California-based licensed psychotherapist, author, relationship expert and media personality. With more than 100 television appearances on major networks, including CNN, NBC, CBS and FOX, Stacy has built a reputation for bringing a unique mix of thoughtful and provocative insights to a wide range of topics.
