"PEANUTS - Keep Looking Up" Canvas Art by IKONICK

There’s a difference between optimism and delusion.

One of Snoopy's most notable features throughout the Peanuts comic strip is his rich fantasy life. With his trusty sidekick Woodstock at his side, Snoopy could pilot a fighter plane as "The Flying Ace," become the ever-slick "Joe Cool," or fight crime as "The Masked Marvel"—all without leaving his doghouse. Whenever times got hard, Snoopy could retreat into his fantasy world and find peace.

While Snoopy's imagination bordered on delusional, we can learn something from him about the power of mindset. By focusing on the positive, you can make it through any moments of negativity. Just keep looking up.

Snoopy's advice has two parts. First, we can take it like Woodstock does: Literally. As they stare upward into the blue sky, where The Flying Ace won many aerial battles, they change their perspective. 

Think about most of the things people do in their daily routines: Eating meals, typing on a computer, scrolling through their phone. A striking majority of it involves directing our gaze downward. We go about our days, hunched over in our own worlds, rarely taking stock of life around us. We see every blemish on the sidewalk, but we fail to look up and appreciate the beauty of the world around us. Look up and gain a new perspective.

But we can also take Snoopy's advice metaphorically. To look upwards is to see the promise of potential on the horizon. In the midst of a challenge, everything in the moment is clouded by stress. But look up, beyond the near term to the future pay-off, and the struggle never seems as bad. When you see the bigger picture, you realize that hardships are only temporary—the satisfaction of reaching your goals lasts forever.

That's the secret of life. Shift your focus to better things. Why give your attention to minor obstacles when the future's so much brighter?

"Keep Looking Up" from the officially licensed Peanuts Collection reminds you to live life with optimism. If things aren't going your way at the moment, just look to the horizon. Good things are coming. Trust that every hardship is fleeting, and focus on the future rewards.

Officially Licensed PEANUTS Collection

IKONICK is honored to introduce The Official PEANUTS Art Collection! PEANUTS creator Charles Schulz was much more than an artist, and getting the chance to re-imagine his iconic characters has been a dream come true for the IKONICK team. His story and incredible journey is something that deeply aligns with IKONICK’s mission to inspire and motivate future generations. Charles Schulz spent over 50 years building a legacy that would give the world Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and a whole cast of characters that would forever change the landscape of American comic strips.