Hope is a belief in a positive outcome related to events
and circumstances in one's life. Hope is the feeling that what is wanted can
be had or that events will turn out for the best. Hopefulness is somewhat different
from optimism in that hope is an emotional state, whereas optimism is a conclusion
reached through a deliberate thought pattern that leads to a positive attitude.
In Christian theology, hope is one of the three theological virtues (faith,
hope, and charity), which are spiritual gifts of God. In contrast to the above,
it is not a physical emotion but a spiritual grace. Hope is distinct from positive
thinking, which refers to a therapeutic or systematic process used in psychology
for reversing pessimism. The term false hope refers to a hope based entirely
around a lie or non-truth.