Inspiration | Life

The Wonder of Hope

Moving from hopelessness to hope

Can you imagine a life without hope? I doubt many of us could. But what exactly is hope, and from where does it come? Without hope, life would be well, hopeless. Let’s examine what it means to have hope and how to overcome hopelessness.

Contrasting hope and hopelessness

As we look at hope and hopelessness, let’s contrast the two to understand them better.

• Hope gives you strength and fills you with possibilities. Hopelessness saps your strength and can fill you with disappointment.
• Hope is positive and uplifting. Hopelessness is negative and can make you feel downtrodden.
• Hope provides happiness and joy. Hopelessness can make you sad and miserable.
• With hope, you look forward to something. Hopelessness often brings dread.

“Hope is the best possession. None are completely wretched but those who are without hope. Few are reduced so low as that.” William Hazlitt (1778–1830)

Hope

Hope is essential to living a forward-looking, joyous life. It often helps you believe in yourself and that something positive or good will happen or come to you. When based on reality, hope can give you an expectation that what happens will add to your life or the lives of others.

A word of caution about hope: be wary of holding any false hope. Hope should be based on reality whenever possible. False hope will let you down and leave that hopeless feeling.

For example, When you hope for that promotion at work, so long as it is reality-based, there is a strong possibility it will happen. Or when you meet that special someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, as long as the hope is reality-based, it will likely happen. To put your hope in a false reality will only lead to disappointment.

Hope has much to do with possibility and potential. Where hope exists, possibility exists, as does potential.

For example, hope in the American dream of homeownership becomes possible when it is grounded in reality, meaning you can afford it. If you can afford it, you have the potential to purchase whatever you hope for.

“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.” Christopher Reeve (1952–2004)

One of the most wonderful things about hope is how it affects your ability to influence. When you have hope, you can give hope to others, lifting them up. Because of your hope, you can more easily inspire others to have more hope in their lives.

Did you know hope has very positive health benefits? Yes, it can improve your mental and physical health. Hope can help you view life in a positive way, improving your attitude and lifting your well-being.

Think about some of your hopes. Why not make a list of them? If you are a journaler, you will find it valuable to record your hopes and dreams regularly. Try it, and you, too, can benefit from gaining a better view and understanding of your life and future while enjoying the uplifting experience it provides.

“What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.” Emil Brunner (1889–1966)

Dealing with hopelessness

What causes hopelessness? It may be you are going through something very challenging. Try to be patient. One thing life teaches us is everything changes over time. There is nothing wrong with hoping it will end and things will improve. Look at the many things you have already overcome. Hope is always available to you if you want it.

Hopelessness can also be a medical issue, such as depression, chronic anxiety, posttraumatic stress, substance dependency, and other such things. If you suffer from any of these or have feelings of hopelessness over many days, please seek medical help. It is nothing to be ashamed of, and the medical profession has an excellent track record in helping people deal with such things.

Outside of those who may wish to seek medical help, there are several things you can do to overcome hopelessness. If hopelessness has come on you suddenly because of a job loss, financial problems, relationship issues, a temporary failure, or other such things, consider the following:

• Give it some time. Think about situations in your past that you overcame. Talk to someone who has overcome a similar issue.
• Focus on the solution, not the problem. The problem has already happened; it’s time to move forward, not get stuck in the past. Don’t focus on what you cannot do. Instead, focus on what you can do. What you can do will move you forward.
• Find someone you can trust to discuss the subject you feel hopeless about. You will often get relief by simply airing it out.
• If you are a Christian, seek the help of your pastor, a fellow Christian, and God’s Word, the Bible.
• Volunteer or help someone in need. There is always someone worse off who can use assistance in some way. At the very least, a word of encouragement given at the right time can help people tremendously.
• Journal. You will be amazed at how helpful writing your thoughts and what is on your heart in your private journal can be. Make this a habit, and you will find much reward in it.

This short list has only a few of the many ways you can work to overcome hopelessness. What would you add? I would love to read your ideas in the comment section below.

“There are no hopeless situations; there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.” Clare Boothe Luce (1903–1987)

Final thoughts

Hope is one of life’s most powerful and wonderful things when you have it. Hope provides a bright and positive outlook and can lift your spirits. The hope you possess can affect others in a good way, especially those close to you.

We tend to get what we look for when it comes to hope. You can always hope for more, a better outcome, and a better future. You can even have hope in hope itself, as hope is always around the corner for those who look for it!

“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” Helen Keller (1880–1968)

May you be filled with hope and the wonderful things it brings to life!

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Bill Abbate Leadership Writer and Editor in ILLUMINATION

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