Answers: What do you look forward to?
Why Sense of Hope is Important to Resilience
The Sense of Hope allows one to envision a better future, even when all the information available suggests otherwise. It brings a future-focus that is based on affirmation – finding the good in a situation – and optimism – accentuating the positive in one’s thinking and feeling. In regard to resilience, this sense is often expressed with positive understanding and good humor.The Sense of Hope is usually uplifting and often motivating, as it helps to establish a posture of confident readiness in dealing with adversity.
Hope is invented every day. —James Baldwin
Without a Strong Sense of Hope …
Without a strong, positive Sense of Hope … you are not likely to feel the burning ember, the spark of life that provides staying power in even the darkest of times. You might also become a naysayer, finding fault with the plans and aspirations of others, and may lose motivation to take meaningful action to improve your own situation. You may also struggle with feelings of despair, anxiety, and depression.
We need never be hopeless because we can never be irreparably broken. —Albert Einstein
Action Planning
If you want to develop your Sense of Hope further … position yourself to accentuate the positive, accept (but don’t exaggerate) the negative, and relate to and connect with affirmative people, ideas, and activities. In specific situations, look for what’s right, not what’s wrong, and be guided in your actions by a forward-looking bias for good.
Possible Actions – Perceive & Ponder
- Contemplate your source of hope (what is it based on) and how you can foster it.
- Reflect on, affirm, and consider making a list of the positive aspects of your life.
Possible Actions – Engage & Connect
- Ask yourself when the last time was you truly laughed out loud and look for opportunities that are genuinely enjoyable.
- Consider the people in your life that are most optimistic, yet realistic about their challenges and seek them out.
Possible Actions – Plan & Pursue
- Plan out your schedule – look at the week ahead and identify opportunities and fun activities coming up that you look forward to.
- Break down problems and/or specific bad things going on and try to actively look for positive outcomes and lessons learned (silver lining).
It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to the first principles of hope and enjoyment. —Bram Stoker, Dracula
