Feb 3

THE SPICE OF? HOPE…

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character"

In 1963 Marin L. King Jr made this speech in a call for economic and civil rights and the end of racism in the US.

In my own life, I was often drowning in the swamp of Hopelessness. I knew the despair of depression. That questions of “Why was I ever born”, “Life is simply too difficult.” Many more. No clue what HOPE could do for me Now? HOPE is my daily torchbearer!

Sometimes, we must give up something to move forward. In my case depression.

Carrying sunshine in your pocket. That is HOPE. Enough to brighten your path.

HOPE is a mosaic of an optimistic state of mind. It is based on an expectation of positive future outcomes.  Tenacity. Diligence. Grit. Confidence, This, with respect to events and circumstances in one’s own life and the world at large.

The benefits? Of all the character strengths, studies indicate that HOPE seems to be the one that most clearly predicts happiness and well-being. I once had a client with a terminal disease. Cancer. She had HOPE! And? She has been in remission for 4 years.

HOPE? An antidote for DESPAIR. We are all blasted with hopelessness s at times. Devoid of any possible prospect of making our suffering better. Remember my case. Clutched tightly in Depression. The bottom of the ladder…

HOPE also has a dark sister: DOUBT. For HOPE to function as a force for good, it needs its sister. When used well, DOUBT can help to act with realistic, objective and intelligent reasoning. Without DOUBT, HOPE can become a dangerous opiate. OVER-HOPE! Have you?

 

HOPE HELPS US TO HELP OURSELVES!

 

THE BIG FIVE OF HOPE: 

  1. HOPE is universal. It is not a privilege for a few but rather a resource we can all tap into. It can be found in all corners of the world.
  2. HOPE is helpful. It is generally a positive psychological resource, promoting a wide variety of positive indicators towards life satisfaction and meaning.
  3. HOPE is active. Individuals with high HOPE do not passively wait for good outcomes. They take an active role in pursuing their goals and can overcome obstacles.
  4. HOPE influences mental health. It is a robust source in recovering from baseline to functioning following trauma.
  5. HOPE encourages change. It is an important resource of resilience to embrace change with courage and confidence.

You can live some weeks without food, but not a second without HOPE!

Dr.Sonia