--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a balancing act, keeping hope but…" description: "\"“It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it drive you to distraction. Because the flip side of hope, the dark side, is the side that keeps ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/shellen-lubin-18891_appreciation_it-s-a-balancing-act-keeping-hope-but-no_2314472.jpg" --- # It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it… ![“It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it drive you to distraction. Because the flip side of hope, the dark side, is the side that keeps you wanting to be somewhere else from where you are, with something else from what you've got-- the side that keeps you from appreciating and…” quote by Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/shellen-lubin-18891_appreciation_it-s-a-balancing-act-keeping-hope-but-no_2314472.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/shellen-lubin-18891_appreciation_it-s-a-balancing-act-keeping-hope-but-no_2314472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/shellen-lubin-18891_appreciation_it-s-a-balancing-act-keeping-hope-but-no_2314472.jpg) > ““It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it drive you to distraction. Because the flip side of hope, the dark side, is the side that keeps you wanting to be somewhere else from where you are, with something else from what you've got-- the side that keeps you from appreciating and feeling fully and deeply what there is in this moment. Hope keeps us in the flow--moving forward-- and I will not underestimate its value, but hopelessness keeps us present in the moment, whether it is the Buddhist hopelessness of non-attachment or the hopelessness of despair.”” [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope can motivate but also distract; embracing a form of non‑attachment helps stay present and appreciate the now. **In simple terms:** Hope drives action but can pull focus away; non‑attachment keeps you grounded. Key Takeaway Balance hope with mindful presence. Themes hope mindfulness non‑attachment presence balance Mood reflective calm inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - stress management - creative work - decision making Key Concepts motivation psychology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you use hope without losing focus on the present? - What practices help you stay grounded when hopeful? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on hope may lead to avoidance of reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation/) [Balancing act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balancing-act/) [Buddhist Hopelessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhist-hopelessness-5509104/) [Dark side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-side/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Depth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depth/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Flip Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flip-hope-5509105/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hopelessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessness/) [Hopelessness Keeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessness-keeps-5509106/) [Hopelessness Non](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessness-non-5509103/) [Keeping hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keeping-hope/) [Somewhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somewhere-else/) [Unhappiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappiness/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) ## Related quotes > [“I think there is a place where hopefulness and hopelessness co-exist, one of my beloved contradictory co-existing realities (what others call a paradox, but paradoxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-think-there-is-a-place-where-hopefulness-and-hopelessness-co-exist/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [The first and last task of aleader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/the-first-and-last-task-of-aleader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [To act as though we have hope is to keep hope alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-van-eekhout/to-act-as-though-we-have-hope-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [Greg van Eekhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-van-eekhout/) > [To keep hope alive one must, in spite of all mistakes, horrors, and crimes, recognize the obvious superiority of the socialist camp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/to-keep-hope-alive-one-must-in-spite-of-all-mistakes-horrors-and/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [People like rumors. They're going to say things like, 'You was at the club with Lil' Kim, and you and Kanye West got into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/people-like-rumors-they-re-going-to-say-things-like-you-was-at-the/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [A prime function of a leader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-gardner/a-prime-function-of-a-leader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [John W. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-gardner/) > [The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-first-task-of-a-leader-is-to-keep-hope-alive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nelson Mandela said: 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' Peace is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonifaz/nelson-mandela-said-it-always-seems-impossible-until-it-s-done-peace/) [John Bonifaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonifaz/) > [“You bear a significant importance to humanity. You exist to complete the mold. Each step you take, great or little is important to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinonye-j-chidolue/you-bear-a-significant-importance-to-humanity-you-exist-to-complete/) [Chinonye J. Chidolue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinonye-j-chidolue/) > [Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes. Keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/hold-your-head-high-stick-your-chest-out-you-can-make-it-it-gets-dark/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [In the desert we rediscover the value of what is essential for living; thus in today's world there are innumerable signs, often expressed implicitly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/in-the-desert-we-rediscover-the-value-of-what-is-essential-for-living/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Learn from yesterday, live for today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/learn-from-yesterday-live-for-today/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [We must never surrender. America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-must-never-surrender-america-will-get-better-and-better-keep-hope/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Keep Hope alive, particularly if Hope is the name of a very cute puppy and not some ill-defined abstraction that is in fact code…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/keep-hope-alive-particularly-if-hope-is-the-name-of-a-very-cute-puppy/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-very-least-you-can-do-in-your-life-is-to-figure-out-what-you-hope-3/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More by Shellen Lubin > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“This is one of the harshest after effects of the pandemic that I am witnessing some and experiencing some, a diminished ability to deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/this-is-one-of-the-harshest-after-effects-of-the-pandemic-that-i-am/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“When I talk about persistence, it isn't about persistence of equal measure every day. It's about not giving up on whatever is important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/when-i-talk-about-persistence-it-isn-t-about-persistence-of-equal/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“When all else fails, go away completely, however long feels necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/when-all-else-fails-go-away-completely-however-long-feels-necessary/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“It's not that there is nothing real to fear-- it is that fear itself is not rationally based-- it's projecting into the future-- as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/it-s-not-that-there-is-nothing-real-to-fear-it-is-that-fear-itself-is/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“How do any of us find the strength to keep going? Because the work itself is empowering and fulfilling. And because we are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/how-do-any-of-us-find-the-strength-to-keep-going-because-the-work/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“I think there is a place where hopefulness and hopelessness co-exist, one of my beloved contradictory co-existing realities (what others call a paradox, but paradoxes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-think-there-is-a-place-where-hopefulness-and-hopelessness-co-exist/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“Nobody adores fertilizer. Nobody devotes their life to fertilizer (unless they own a fertilizer company). But, shit, you need it to grow the crops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/nobody-adores-fertilizer-nobody-devotes-their-life-to-fertilizer/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“It's been a relief to not have to fight so hard for at least a large group of us to question the old orthodoxy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/it-s-been-a-relief-to-not-have-to-fight-so-hard-for-at-least-a-large/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“This is a critical year--maybe the last critical year if we get this wrong--when we are all challenged to recognize how we have benefitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/this-is-a-critical-year-maybe-the-last-critical-year-if-we-get-this/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“This is one of the harshest after effects of the pandemicthat I am witnessing someand experiencing some,a diminished ability to deal with resistance,and soa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/this-is-one-of-the-harshest-after-effects-of-the-pandemicthat-i-am/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“We live in anxious times, my love, anxiety-producing times. It doesn't mean we have to be anxious, but if we've got it, we've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/we-live-in-anxious-times-my-love-anxiety-producing-times-it-doesn-t/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“Hope is bubbling in the ocean of our collective lives... I can feel the hope bubbling inside, popping little pockets of air rising to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/hope-is-bubbling-in-the-ocean-of-our-collective-lives-i-can-feel-the/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“We are not the only country that becomes way more progressive or regressive depending on who gets into office. This is the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/we-are-not-the-only-country-that-becomes-way-more-progressive-or/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“Education itself is Marketing--marketing tools and perspectives to people who don't necessarily realize why they need them, how it will serve them, what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/education-itself-is-marketing-marketing-tools-and-perspectives-to/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) [Explore all 34 Shellen Lubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) ## More Appreciation quotes > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [A very small percentage of the people in this world will actually experience and live today. So many people will be stuck on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/a-very-small-percentage-of-the-people-in-this-world-will-actually/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Stop chasing the things you want and embrace all that you already have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stop-chasing-the-things-you-want-and-embrace-all-that-you-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Appreciation is the purest vibration that exists on the planet today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/appreciation-is-the-purest-vibration-that-exists-on-the-planet-today/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“My thank-yous always come out rather labored. I often don't give them at all. People do what they're supposed to do and then wait…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/my-thank-yous-always-come-out-rather-labored-i-often-don-t-give-them/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“Like gratitude, authentic appreciation in the workplace is a realisation that can be nurtured and accessed with daily mindful practice. By and large, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/like-gratitude-authentic-appreciation-in-the-workplace-is-a/) [Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“Recognize and appreciate little things, and enjoy what Life has to offer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-nikko-caharian-iii/recognize-and-appreciate-little-things-and-enjoy-what-life-has-to/) [Cesar Nikko Caharian III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-nikko-caharian-iii/) > [Men, when it comes to women, value diamonds and put no stock into copper. Diamonds are rare. You can find copper anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/men-when-it-comes-to-women-value-diamonds-and-put-no-stock-into/) [Enhance Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enhance-dreams/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Browse all 2,528 Appreciation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's a balancing act, keeping hope but not letting it drive you to distraction. Because the flip side of hope, the dark side, is the side that keeps you wanting to be somewhere else from where you are, with something else from what you've got-- the side that keeps you from appreciating and feeling fully and deeply what there is in this moment. 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