A new poll from the Australian National University says most people think life was better 50 years ago. Objectively, it's kind of bleak out here. But does that mean optimism is dead? That it's all hopeless?

But it can't be all doom — it's time to unpack why hope isn't about ignoring reality and why optimism doesn't have to mean being naive.

Because it turns out, being cynical doesn't make you smarter and expecting the worst might actually be holding us back.