AMHA-OR - Hope in Hopeless Times
What is hope? How can you get it? Does hope really make a difference? I have wondered these questions often. Having faced many difficult and uncontrollable life situations, I have made finding hope and having hope a mission. Hope for me is the ability to emotionally and psychologically rise above any situation and be able to know that life and meaning is more than the facts of the moment. It is the ability to see life in terms of the glass ˝ full instead of ˝ empty.
Having hope can be difficult. For some of us, it is even harder because our inborn inclination is to be melancholy or pessimistic. But having hope can be the difference between living one’s life well and being miserable. So the decision to learn about hope and pursue is very crucial to a person’s ability to have a happy life.
In my pursuit of hope, I have found some ways to find hope and make it a part of my life. The following are just some of those ways.
1. Listen to upbeat music that has a positive message. It is very hard not to feel hopeful and happy when listening to this type of music.
2. Reading motivating or inspirational books. These books can be found at the libraries, bookstores even Walmart. They help to get one’s mind off of their worries and negative thinking and onto positive and uplifting thoughts. Most of these books have very short chapters that are easy to read.
3. Find online sites that are encouraging. From chat rooms to websites there are a bunch of them that are positive, encouraging and fun.
4. I also suggest reading biographies of people that have overcome tremendous struggles in their lives. This type of reading give people the ability to see that if others can get over bad situations and make something good out of them then you can too.
5. Surround yourself with positive people. The people around you can make a difference in how you feel and what you think about. If people around you are always cutting others down and complaining, then you need to make a change of who you choose to be with or if you involve yourself in those types of discussions.
6. Look for ways to laugh. Laughter has been proven to change brain and body chemistry. Many medical studies have shown that laughter can lessen pain as much as some pain medications.
7. Look for ways to help others. There are many ways to reach out to others that are having a hard time. Find a way that fits your interest and lifestyle. The saying that says, “It is better to give than receive” is true and the benefit of helping others give people a sense of pride and hopefulness.
These suggestions if acted upon can make a difference for you. Do not try all of them at the same time. Pick out a couple and pursue them and see how they affect your sense of hope and well being. One step at a time and you will find yourself being more hopeful and seeing the world in a more positive light, no matter your circumstances. Make hope a priority and you will see that hope will flourish in your life.
Tatiana Bowers, M.A.
Marriage and Family Therapist
tatianalwc@aol.com
www.livingwellcounseling.net
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