Hopefulness alone doesn't make a person happy. Still, it's a necessary step on the path to contentment and probably the most critical factor in overcoming life’s biggest challenges.
It may seem naïve to hold on to hope when life presents so much pain and suffering. Yet, no matter how bleak a situation, there is always a thread of hope to hold on to. Hope that the sun will shine again – that the future ahead is one to look forward to...
Having hope feels good, but it's also a powerful force, probably the most critical factor in overcoming life’s biggest challenges. In a recent study, Chinese psychologists have found out that hope protects¹ the brain against anxiety. Dr. Lopez, a psychologist who has studied hope in millions of people through his work with the Gallup polls, concludes that while hopefulness alone doesn't make a person happy, that it's a necessary step on the path to contentment and as a buffer against the negative impact of stressors!
Yes, hope may not alter the present situation, but it will expand our capacity to respond constructively, creatively, and courageously. Doing so will improve the odds of emerging on the other end in better shape than we otherwise might be!
You might ask, how can you maintain optimism in a time like this? How could you keep feeling hopeful when there seem to be so many reasons to feel hopeless? The answer is much simpler than you would think. Cultivating a sense of hope is a CHOICE. As Viktor Frankl wrote in Man's Search for Meaning ( an excellent book that highlights humankind's ability to rise above all suffering), “When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Want to nurture hope and hunt for the good hiding from you?
Look in the past :
💥Reflect on three good memories from the last year
💥Remember three challenging circumstances you’ve overcome and are better because of it.
Look In the present:
💥Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for right now.
Look to the future;
💥What are you looking forward to this week?
💥What are you looking forward to this month?
Netsanet Tegegn, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist in Virginia Beach who provides individualized counseling services for those who wish to create long-lasting and positive changes in their lives...
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