The Meaning of Hope
Let’s begin this Story with another story:
It was night-time. Darkness had spread all around. There was only one room that had light. Four candles were burning there. The four candles began to talk to each other in solitude.
The first candle said, “I am Peace. When I see this world, I feel sad. Uproar, looting, and violence are everywhere. It is challenging to live here. I cannot stay here anymore.” After saying this, the candle extinguished.
The second candle also began to express its thoughts, “I am Faith. I feel that lies, deception, and dishonesty are eroding my existence. This place is no longer suitable for me. I am also leaving.” After saying this, the second candle also extinguished.
The third candle was sad as well. It said, “I am love. I can burn for everyone at every moment. But now, nobody has time for me. Selfishness and hatred have taken my place. Most people do not express love even to their loved ones. I cannot bear this anymore. I should go.” The flame of the third candle diminished fully just like others.
When the third candle went out, a child walked into the room. He was unhappy to see the candles extinguished. With a heavy heart, he said, “How could you bring darkness to my life? You were supposed to burn until the end. But you left me alone. What will I do now?”
Upon hearing the child, the fourth candle spoke, “Do not worry, dear. I am Hope, and I am with you. As long as I am burning, you can use my flame to light the other candles.” The child felt a sense of relief hearing the candle and used the flame of Hope to relight the other candles. Once again, Peace, Faith, and Love were shining brightly in the room.
As long as the lamp of Hope keeps burning, darkness cannot prevail in our lives.
What Is Hope?
Hope is not wishful thinking; it is the ability to regulate our perception towards the belief in control of the future,
and belief is the most potent driver of mindsets, behaviors, and outlooks.
The good news is hope is a skill that can be learned. Anyone can be hopeful and choose to have an optimistic outlook.
That being said, What can we do to cope and maintain a positive outlook during times of uncertainty?
Ways to Cultivate Hope in Times of Uncertainty
Recognizing the power:
When a crisis occurs, it creates dissonance in the mind regardless of whether it is an opportunity or a danger. Hope provides the lens of empowerment and resolves the dissonance. Hoping that change is possible can reduce doubt and hesitation, making it easier to take action.
Do Something You Love:
Participating in activities that bring us joy is one of the most important ways to develop hope in trying times. Garden. Paint. Exercise. Cook. Play music. Whatever makes you smile. This solution is not an escape but an understanding that there are activities that bring us genuine joy. Having these outlets gives us resilience and helps us to let go of hard feelings.
Recognize That Hope Can be Hard to Cultivate Sometimes:
If you are living with anxiety, low mood, or going through a particularly stressful time in life, do not be surprised if cultivating hope is hard. Be kind and compassionate with yourself, take things one step at a time, and acknowledge that it may not feel natural or easy to be hopeful.
Focus on What You Can Change:
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Whether one is religious or not, recognizing that many things are outside our control can bring a sense of peace.
Find Gratitude:
Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation for what is good in our lives. In times like these, our gratitude might be for small things, like the warmth of the sun, or a beloved pet sitting by our side. Purposefully recognizing what we have to be grateful for can uplift us when life seems increasingly bleak and we begin to entertain suicidal thoughts with more frequency. Cultivating gratitude can offset those ideas, providing meaning.
Viktor Frankl suggests that meaning is found in the world, not in ourselves.
We can find hope when we can get out of the prison of our minds’ harmful thinking. Everyone is facing stress nowadays, even more so for those with mental health and substance abuse issues. Still, it is possible to cultivate hope and forge a path that creates opportunities for a positive outlook, despite the darkness we might face.
I hope that my article was helpful and provided some clarity on the topic of hope.
Wishing you a hopeful life, Take care.
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