--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With optimism, you look upon the sunny…" description: "\"With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, 'Studs, you're an optimist.' I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/studs-terkel-3020_alternatives_with-optimism-you-look-upon-the-sunny-si_801535.jpg" --- # With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things… ![“With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, 'Studs, you're an optimist.' I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because what's the alternative to hope? Despair? If you have despair, you might as well put your head in the oven.” quote by Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/studs-terkel-3020_alternatives_with-optimism-you-look-upon-the-sunny-si_801535.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/studs-terkel-3020_alternatives_with-optimism-you-look-upon-the-sunny-si_801535.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5f/studs-terkel-3020_alternatives_with-optimism-you-look-upon-the-sunny-si_801535.jpg) > “With optimism, you look upon the sunny side of things. People say, 'Studs, you're an optimist.' I never said I was an optimist. I have hope because what's the alternative to hope? Despair? If you have despair, you might as well put your head in the oven.” [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism is a choice that counters despair, offering hope as an alternative to hopelessness. **In simple terms:** Choosing hope over despair. Key Takeaway Embrace hope, avoid despair. Themes optimism hope resilience Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - career setbacks - health challenges - relationship conflicts Key Concepts psychology philosophy mindset Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if hope seemed impossible? - How can you nurture hope without denial? A Different Perspective Hope can be fragile and may ignore real problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Having hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-hope/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Optimism Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism-look-2523492/) [Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist/) [Optimist Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist-hope-1128595/) [Optimist Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimist-said-999569/) [Ovens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ovens/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Studs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studs/) [Studs Optimist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studs-optimist-6136525/) [Sunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunny/) [Sunny side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunny-side/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Somehow, you need to cling to your optimism. Always look for the silver lining. Always look for the best in people. Try to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-sambora/somehow-you-need-to-cling-to-your-optimism-always-look-for-the-silver/) [Richie Sambora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-sambora/) > [Sorrow, anger and resentment look back, worry looks around, while faith, hope, and optimism look to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/sorrow-anger-and-resentment-look-back-worry-looks-around-while-faith/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [I'm an optimist; I always hope that each new script is going to be a great story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/i-m-an-optimist-i-always-hope-that-each-new-script-is-going-to-be-a/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > [I'm an optimist. I hope if a movie's good that it will be a success, but as we know, that's not always true, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willem-dafoe/i-m-an-optimist-i-hope-if-a-movie-s-good-that-it-will-be-a-success/) [Willem Dafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willem-dafoe/) > [“But love makes you an optimist", she said. "That is what love is. It is hope for the future. Love doesn't want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/but-love-makes-you-an-optimist-she-said-that-is-what-love-is-it-is/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“I heard about this man who fell into a pit, and while he was down there several people came by and offered their opinions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/i-heard-about-this-man-who-fell-into-a-pit-and-while-he-was-down/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“I'm no optimist", she said as she opened the cabinet door. " I'm just a realist who smiles too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/i-m-no-optimist-she-said-as-she-opened-the-cabinet-door-i-m-just-a/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [People are hungry for stories. It's part of our very being. Storytelling is a form of history, of immortality too. It goes from one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/people-are-hungry-for-stories-it-s-part-of-our-very-being-2/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“I like the slow, smooth roll of the great big trains—and they are the best trains in the world! I like being drawn through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/i-like-the-slow-smooth-roll-of-the-great-big-trains-and-they-are-the/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“You can walk on the shady side of a mountain or on the sunny side! The choice is yours! And the same choice applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-can-walk-on-the-shady-side-of-a-mountain-or-on-the-sunny-side-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“If you look out for the sunny side of the street, the sunny side of the street will look out for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/if-you-look-out-for-the-sunny-side-of-the-street-the-sunny-side-of/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [“In the world according to the positivist, the inspiring thing about scrambled eggs is that any way you turn them they're sunny side up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/in-the-world-according-to-the-positivist-the-inspiring-thing-about/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [So always look for the silver lining And try to find the sunny side of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/so-always-look-for-the-silver-lining-and-try-to-find-the-sunny-side/) [P. G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse-2/) > [“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance whose presence is least desired, but most rewarding when embraced."- Carolyn Wells, Start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-is-a-common-acquaintance-whose/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [I try to walk on the sunny side of the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/i-try-to-walk-on-the-sunny-side-of-the-street/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) ## More by Studs Terkel > [My epitaph? My epitaph will be, 'Curiosity did not kill this cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/my-epitaph-my-epitaph-will-be-curiosity-did-not-kill-this-cat/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“It was in ’35—we had this campaign to raise a million tax dollars. In the town of Phillips, one evening, during a blizzard, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/it-was-in-35-we-had-this-campaign-to-raise-a-million-tax-dollars-in/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-read-somewhere-that-when-a-person-takes-part-in-community-action/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Don't be an examiner, be the interested inquirer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/don-t-be-an-examiner-be-the-interested-inquirer/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Hope never trickles down. It always springs up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/hope-never-trickles-down-it-always-springs-up/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I never drove a car. I'm hopeless that way. I press the wrong buttons on the tape recorder. But if the person I'm interviewing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-never-drove-a-car-i-m-hopeless-that-way-i-press-the-wrong-buttons/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [To survive the day is triumph enough for the walking wounded among the great many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/to-survive-the-day-is-triumph-enough-for-the-walking-wounded-among/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“I’ll never forget that Depression Easter Sunday. Our son was four years old. I bought ten or fifteen cents’ worth of eggs. You didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-ll-never-forget-that-depression-easter-sunday-our-son-was-four/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [All you need in life is truth and beauty and you can find both at the Public Library.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/all-you-need-in-life-is-truth-and-beauty-and-you-can-find-both-at-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [Reading a book should not be a passive exercise, but rather a raucous conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/reading-a-book-should-not-be-a-passive-exercise-but-rather-a-raucous/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I hope for peace and sanity - it's the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-hope-for-peace-and-sanity-it-s-the-same-thing/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“The total cost of the Federal Arts Project was only $23 million. Many of these paintings, sculptures and prints were given to museums, courthouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-total-cost-of-the-federal-arts-project-was-only-23-million-many/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [I find labels "liberal" and "conservative" of little meaning. Our language has become perverted along with the thoughts of many of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/i-find-labels-liberal-and-conservative-of-little-meaning-our-language/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [“Who knows Bob’s name in this outfit—let alone his lame child’s? (“The last place I worked for, I was let go,” recalls the bank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/who-knows-bob-s-name-in-this-outfit-let-alone-his-lame-child-s-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [The trouble with censorship is that once it starts it is hard to stop. Just about every book contains something that someone objects to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/the-trouble-with-censorship-is-that-once-it-starts-it-is-hard-to-stop/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) [Explore all 142 Studs Terkel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) ## More Alternatives quotes > [I am very sad that some designers are still using real fur when the fake alternatives are so effective and so easily obtainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-am-very-sad-that-some-designers-are-still-using-real-fur-when-the/) [Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. 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