HOPE

 

Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large. As a verb, its definitions include: “expect with confidence” and “to cherish a desire with anticipation.”

The degree to which an adolescent believes that a personal tomorrow exists; this belief spans four hierarchical levels proceeding from lower to higher levels of believing:

1.   Forced effort: the degree to which an adolescent tries to take on a more positive view, artificially.

2.   Personal possibilities: the extent to which an adolescent believes that second chances for the self may exist.

3.   The expectation of a better tomorrow: the degree to which an adolescent has a positive though non-specific future orientation.

4.   Anticipation of a personal future: the extent to which an adolescent identifies specific and positive personal future possibilities.

Hope includes little certitude, but it implies confidence in the possibility of that desire to materialize. Hope is a desire with great expectations but little certainty.

When you get down to it, you understand that hope does not come with any promise of certainty. No, it is futile to imagine that once we bear hope, it will spring to life, for sure, like magic.

Perhaps, because of that, when the last hope is stolen from us, we also lose the last genuine smile. Without hope, from then on in this life of ours, we can only manage to paint fake happiness on our faces.

Within the core of hope lies a strong belief. It sees possibilities where none exist; it propels us farther to move towards a better future for ourselves and others around us.

Whether or not one thinks about it, hope is a part of every human being’s life and an essential part of being human. Hope helps us define what we want for our future. Hope is often one of the central protagonists in the story of our lives we craft for ourselves.

Hope builds a bridge between the present and the future. And once we have a vision of what good things are to happen, the idea itself makes us feel better and happier.

Research shows people who score high in hope have better psychological health. That translates into lower levels of depression and anxiety, and higher levels of happiness and well-being.

People with high hope have been shown to cope better in burn injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even cancer.

In college students, a study showed, hope can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In another study among college-goers showed the more hopeful students showed greater all-around success, and more of them finished their graduation.

Hope can help us manage stress better and cope with adversity.

A Polish study found hope may increase the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for people with psychosis.

Findings from a study suggest hope may be an important factor to help individuals manage potential threats to self-esteem in the experience of early-stage dementia.

An analysis of responses of 360 undergraduates showed that hope ( extroversion and social support ) was significantly linked with happiness. Moreover, hope happened to mediate the link between extroversion and happiness and social support and happiness.

Hope can even help one fight the fear of death. A study found religious hope may help people cope with feelings of death anxiety.

Hope allows us to approach problems with a positive mindset aiming at success, increasing the chances for us to accomplish our goals.

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