Be a Hope Seeker and a Hope Giver
We begin the final month of the year with a forward-looking theme, outlook, and this week’s topic of hope is one that has played a very important role throughout every step of my journey. So I’m hoping to share some tools that might help you grow your own hope, which in turn might help you grow the hope of those around you.
From the resolve of my sisters and me to become “HOPE Seekers” after my brother’s suicide, to my personal mission to dig deeply into the science of hope, to the revelation that we can all be hope givers and hope borrowers, I’ve found that hope is a powerful way of thinking that can become a mindset. Hope can be shared, and hope can be learned.
Like many caregivers, I’ve struggled with hope at times. After my brother lost his battle with mental illness and lost all hope for himself, my sisters and I were on the verge of losing hope when we wondered what we might have missed and what we could have done differently to help him. Then we had an epiphany to become “HOPE Seekers” and devote our efforts to fundraising for suicide prevention. That was the beginning of our journey toward healing, wholeness, and building a more hope-centered mindset.
One of the best things about hope is that it can be shared. We can all be HOPE Givers, modeling hope for someone who is struggling. And when we’re struggling ourselves, we can borrow hope from others.
Following are five tools to help illuminate the hope in YOU:
SET A GOAL: Future-oriented thinking can help you grow hope. Even micro-goals can have an effect.
WAYPOWER (Pathways): Create a roadmap for your hope journey, and plan your strategy for taking steps toward your goal.
WILLPOWER (Agency): What motivates you to achieve your goal? Where do you find the will for perseverance? You’ve GOT this. Remember, you’re strong; you’ve survived 100% of your hardest days; you can do hard things; AND you can achieve your goals.
ASK FOR HELP (and HOPE): You are never alone. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is always available, or text HOME to the 741741 Warm Line. Compassionate listening leads to caring conversations.
SELF-COMPASSION: Be gentle with yourself and others. You’re doing the best you can, and they are, too. Work on your negative self-talk, and replace it with positive affirmations: I am strong. I can do hard things. I have courage. I have compassion. I can cope.
Hope goes beyond optimism, and it’s more than just a wish. Hope is about taking ACTION. It’s also not a finite resource. You can add to the supply of hope by cultivating YOUR hope. And if you’re struggling, you can always borrow hope from others.