“Don’t Get Your Hopes Up!” We’ve heard that advice all our lives. Family, friends, books and movies have all warned us not to get our hopes up. You may even say it yourself, but did you ever think about what you’re saying?

“Don’t Get Your Hopes Up!” is possibly the worst guidance ever. It’s advising us not to hope and not to dream

Like most people, I absorbed this teaching by osmosis. I also remember when I said it for the last time.

I was in my 20’s and I was telling a friend about a job I really wanted, adding that I was not getting my hopes up about it.  Where upon that friends father ,overhearing the conversation pointed out how foolish I was being. He went on to explain why not getting my hopes up was ridiculous. Thank you, Mr. Rivard for opening my eyes.

So why is it ridiculous to avoid getting our hopes up? Besides the fact that it’s wrong to quash our own hopes and dreams and to lower our spirits due to fears of failure.

The entire sentiment is based on a silly idea that we should fear failure, as we don’t want to feel disappointed.   But I ask you, is disappointment really too much to bear? Isn’t disappointment a part of life that most of us learned by age 5 is survivable?

Here’s the most significant thing thing in my opinion. To refuse to get our hopes up is to ignore the Law of Attraction, because the power of hope and positive expectation can actually help us attract what we want. Hope works for us, not against us!

I hasten to add, hope feels good! Refusing to be hopeful is a missed opportunity to feel good. Since we know that feeling good is the best way to attract what we want, refusing to hope is like turning away our dreams.

If you don’t get what you want, you’ll live; you’ll grow; you’ll get greater clarity; something better will come along, we have all experienced this, so know it to be true. If you continue suppressing your hope, you could jeopardize your chance to live a full life and achieve happiness.

One more thing. Refusing to get our hopes up does not guarantee we’ll avoid disappointment. In fact, refusing to hope sets us up for disappointment.

Two questions:

Do you want it?

Will you allow yourself to have it?

If yes and yes, then absolutely do get your hopes up. Get them up as high as possible. Ride the high energy of positive expectation and enjoy the journey. If it doesn’t happen, so what? Focus on the next dream with all the hope you can muster. And keep your hope alive!