“Let your Hope not your Hurts shape your future”.
– Martin Luther King Jr.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Simply understood Hope is a state of mind which desires for something positive to happen and thinks that it is eminently possible even when such a result is logically and objectively impossible.
It involves both optimism and attitude. Experiencing hope blocks the anxiety circuits in the brain. The brain function improves when it is not saddled with anxiety.
The flip side of hope is fear. Fear is the key which disempowers us, making us feel helpless, to forget everything and run away from the problem rather than rise up and face all obstacles that come our way. Fear suppresses hope. Armed with hope you rise up with your head high in the midst of all chaos. Hope engenders peace, power, love and confidence among the living.
Being around with positive people is one way to maintain an optimistic mindset. People with a high hope quotient do not block themselves or get overwhelmed with the negativity around them. They do not let life slip away from them.
They pro-actively make decisions and take action to move forward with their lives. Generally individuals are more resilient to stress when they have hope. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it.
Hope helps us live with a difficult present despite the foreboding of an uncertain future. People who wear the armour of hope are always ready to face the inevitable challenges in life believing that every problem has a solution. Hope provides human beings with a destination and gives the requisite energy to get started and move forward resolutely. It provides human beings with a sense of destination, and the energy to get started. Never let your past infect the future. The iconic example we have in history is the journey of Nelson Mandela from Prison to Presidency.
Hope empowers us to cope with the inherent pain of existence. What is it that hope does to a person? People high in hope tend to focus on what is in front of them. While setting goals for themselves they live in the present. They stay focused on what is happening and what they can control right now. Our level of hope can have a big impact on our lives. People with a good measure of hope, passion and zest for life are optimistic about the future.
They approach the difficulties and threats they encounter in life as surmountable challenges. People high on hope enjoy better physical and mental well-being. They live longer and happier lives.
In the absence of hope, it is easy to slip into depression and experience suicidal swings. Studies reveal that many who succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic had slipped into a state of defeat and hopelessness. The reverse phenomenon: many of those who lived with hope survived the pandemic. They bounced back to life despite the threat to their very breath and low oxygen levels in the body.
It is natural to feel discouraged in the face of difficulties: whether personal or social. Psychologists have a close-up view of the suffering of people that if you want to cultivate positive change – in yourself, others or society – hope is a vital factor.
Along with maintaining a robust mental health and increasing one’s self-esteem, studies suggest that hope can obviate symptoms and recover the daily well-being of those with chronic illness. Hope isn’t a denial of what is. You know something’s wrong, but yet that it’s not the end of the story. Unlike optimism, which is simply the expectation of a better future, hope is action oriented and a skill that can be learned and cultivated. Whatever talent or skills you may possess, hope is the state of mind that helps you navigate life’s twists and turns, and keeps you moving forward when times are tough.
Hope is a human survival mechanism and we cannot thrive or exist without it. Hope can be a particularly powerful protector against the dread of a chronic or life-threatening illness that could end your life.
What does it mean to have hope? In difficult times when the world is filled with war, climate change and other disasters, remaining hopeful about the future can at times feel impossible.
Research tells us that hope is not an unrealistic luxury, but an existential necessity. It is important for us to cultivate hope and help people facing adversity and trauma. It’s a simple fact of life that even the best laid plans can go astray. Whatever talent or skill you may possess, hope is the state of mind that helps you navigate life’s twists and turns, and keeps you moving forward when times are tough. Hope is a human survival mechanism and we couldn’t thrive without it. Hope is an essential component of our well being. It is an essential factor for developing both maturity and resilience. We must accept finite disappointment, but never the sight and strength of infinite hope.
Human beings have the knowledge and capacity to change their situation at a global level and someday they will make things happen for the better.
One day the planet will naturally find a way to over-ride all the damage done through corruption, exploitation and pollution. Hope is about positive emotions. It is a motivational force, propelling us forward believing that there is something superior in this universe which protects me and those around me. Hope opens the path to the impossible. It provides us the will to get there and shows us different ways to get there. It is like a single candle in the night, it gives light for us to continue on and find the way out of the darkness. Hope can occur in isolation, but it grows when you’re connected to a supportive and inspiring collective. If you want to cultivate positive change in yourself, others, or society – restoring Hope is a vital first step. Hope is the life-line to a person hurtling down a steep cliff and who is destined to meet the inevitable end of annihilation and death. A community of hopeful people can inspire you by encouraging you in your goals, helping you as a pivot when you encounter obstacles, or by simply reminding you that overcoming difficulty is possible. One benefit of being in a community when you’re trying to maintain hope is there are people who are living examples of what hope looks like when its achieved.
(The writer is a social scientist and a two-time cancer survivor)
