--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the very first things I figured…" description: "\"One of the very first things I figured out about life...is that it's better to be a hopeful person than a cynical, grumpy one, because you have to live..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png" --- # One of the very first things I figured out about life...is… ![“One of the very first things I figured out about life...is that it's better to be a hopeful person than a cynical, grumpy one, because you have to live in the same world either way, and if you're hopeful, you have more fun.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png) > “One of the very first things I figured out about life...is that it's better to be a hopeful person than a cynical, grumpy one, because you have to live in the same world either way, and if you're hopeful, you have more fun.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hopeful outlook brings more enjoyment to life than cynicism; optimism improves experience despite inevitable hardships. **In simple terms:** Hope makes life more enjoyable. Key Takeaway Choose hope over cynicism for a better life. Themes hope optimism mindset wellbeing resilience Mood uplifting encouraging Type motivational practical When to use this quote - daily routines - work environment - relationships - health challenges - stress management Key Concepts positive psychology emotional health attitude theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate hope during tough times? - What practices help shift from cynicism to optimism? A Different Perspective Hope may be unrealistic in severe adversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [First things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-things/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hopeful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopeful/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My hope would be that, as we're moving through the world right now, we're able to get that psychological or emotional peace by seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-hope-would-be-that-as-we-re-moving-through-the-world-right-now-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I would love to have kids but I have no idea when, I used to try and work it all out and then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/i-would-love-to-have-kids-but-i-have-no-idea-when-i-used-to-try-and/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [The cynic thinks that he is being practical and that the hopeful person is not. It is actually the other way around. Cynicism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/the-cynic-thinks-that-he-is-being-practical-and-that-the-hopeful/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [Cynicism is an enormous problem. I'm actually a hopeful person. But the way to stay hopeful is to acknowledge and to not accept what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/cynicism-is-an-enormous-problem-i-m-actually-a-hopeful-person-but-the/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I feel like I am the most hopeful person you could possibly meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tig-notaro/i-feel-like-i-am-the-most-hopeful-person-you-could-possibly-meet/) [Tig Notaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tig-notaro/) > [A hopeless person finds a difficulty in every chance…and a hopeful person finds a chance in every difficulty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/a-hopeless-person-finds-a-difficulty-in-every-chance-and-a-hopeful/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [I'm a very hopeful person. I mean, I'm an optimistic person, sometimes stupidly optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/i-m-a-very-hopeful-person-i-mean-i-m-an-optimistic-person-sometimes/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [“In a lovely book called On Hope, Josef Pieper explores Thomas Aquinas' theology of hope along these lines: the hopeful person is by definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jacobs/in-a-lovely-book-called-on-hope-josef-pieper-explores-thomas-aquinas/) [Alan Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jacobs/) > [A hopeless person feels difficulty in every chance & A hopeful person feels a chance in every difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/a-hopeless-person-feels-difficulty-in-every-chance-a-hopeful-person/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I am a very hopeful person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-capshaw/i-am-a-very-hopeful-person/) [Jessica Capshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-capshaw/) > [A hopeless man Sees difficulties in every chance, but a hopeful person Sees chances in every difficulty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-hopeless-man-sees-difficulties-in-every-chance-but-a-hopeful-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm just a generally hopeful person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corinne-bailey-rae/i-m-just-a-generally-hopeful-person/) [Corinne Bailey Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corinne-bailey-rae/) > [I have never seen a hopeful person join a gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/i-have-never-seen-a-hopeful-person-join-a-gang/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [Apparently, I'm the angriest man. I don't know. It's just an interpretation. If it was someone else, they might be called focused or competitive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alun-wyn-jones/apparently-i-m-the-angriest-man-i-don-t-know-it-s-just-an/) [Alun Wyn Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alun-wyn-jones/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Cynical quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [We're so immaturely cynical as a culture. We're not wise enough to look at an institution like marriage and to really things about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peterson/we-re-so-immaturely-cynical-as-a-culture-we-re-not-wise-enough-to/) [Jordan Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peterson/) > [I'm not cynical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-m-not-cynical/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [A well governed people are generally a people who do not think much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-siegfried/a-well-governed-people-are-generally-a-people-who-do-not-think-much/) Andre Siegfried > [I love writers who are insightful enough to be cynical but choose not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/i-love-writers-who-are-insightful-enough-to-be-cynical-but-choose-not/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [It is a very cynical, skeptical, foolish person that suggests Israel does not need a peace process to have a growing economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-quest/it-is-a-very-cynical-skeptical-foolish-person-that-suggests-israel/) [Richard Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-quest/) > [Songwriters might write cynical, world-wise lyrics and constantly talk about money, but most of us are downright naive when it comes to business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-nelson/songwriters-might-write-cynical-world-wise-lyrics-and-constantly-talk/) [Willie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-nelson/) > [No one more cynical than an idealist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanith-lee/no-one-more-cynical-than-an-idealist/) [Tanith Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanith-lee/) > [I've actually always wanted to write like a one-person show that was sort of a romantic comedy - a show that was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/i-ve-actually-always-wanted-to-write-like-a-one-person-show-that-was/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“That's what I've never been able to get about religion: that charmless combination of altruism and insanity. Give me a cynical, self-interested bastard any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/that-s-what-i-ve-never-been-able-to-get-about-religion-that-charmless/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [As the rain falls and the sun shines, they grow, grow, grow; minds so open, they go through life aware and accepting, seeing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/as-the-rain-falls-and-the-sun-shines-they-grow-grow-grow-minds-so/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Browse all 968 Cynical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the very first things I figured out about life...is that it's better to be a hopeful person than a cynical, grumpy one, because you have to live in the same world either way, and if you're hopeful, you have more fun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Kingsolver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-out-about-life-is-that-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cynical" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-out-about-life-is-that-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9da/barbara-kingsolver-200_cynical_one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-o_849559.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the very first things I figured out about life...is that it's better to be a hopeful person than a…” — Barbara Kingsolver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barbara Kingsolver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the very first things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-out-about-life-is-that-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/one-of-the-very-first-things-i-figured-out-about-life-is-that-it-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```