How To Cultivate The Rays Of Hope In Times Of Despair

The great pandemic of the 21st century suppressed the hopes of the most strong-willed. Not a single day passes without updates, ambiguity, and disruption. That fear of the unknown is hard to describe and conquer when faced with ongoing ambiguity. And with mounting uncertainties about the future, one can quickly lose sight of hope. This growing sentiment of despair is apparent in today’s world. The pandemic has drained the mental well-being of adults and youth. And as we welcome a new year, finding hope in these difficult times is what we all aspire for next. I wrote this blog to help my followers start the new year with a fresh perspective on hope and optimism.

What is hope?

Hope is defined as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best” – noun. As a verb, hope is “the act of looking forward to with desire and reasonable confidence, to believe, desire, or trust”. Source: Dictionary

Hope is more than a noun or a verb in the dictionary. In metaphor, it’s the air that moves our souls and kindles our minds. Hope fuels imagination and forges dreams. Religion depicts hope as faith and belief in something grand. Hope is the strength and courage that help us conquer the impossible. And realists describe hope as the aspiration and motivation to attain a goal, a pursuit.

Why is hope important

Have faith! That’s what most religions teach. It is a doctrine and a primary sin to abandon faith. Sometimes when I reflect on biblical teachings of faith, I can’t help but associate these teachings with hope. Was faith a product of human wisdom? Did the oracles of the past and biblical prophets recognize the influence of faith and hope on human progress? I think so. Last week, I asked my followers the following question: What do you do to stay hopeful? Two-thirds of the responders said faith and hope. It’s a powerful intuition we embrace under challenging times. 

Hope is what brings humans together in the pursuit of grand ambitions. We hold on to hope in difficult times to make things better! And that’s what everyone aspires for during this predicament. Hope is an endorphin that amplifies happiness. And presently, hope helps reduce anxiety, stress, and the nagging feeling of helplessness. 

How finding hope in difficult times is valuable.

Hopelessness is losing the motivation to live. Losing hope feeds anxiety and awakens fear. Dispair diverts us from logic and focus. It impedes progress and thwarts the capacity to solve problems. But, on the other hand, hope is the universal energy that feeds our essences, hearts, and intellects. It’s a survival instinct, a historical tool our species resorted to in disasters and plights to keep pushing and survive.

Seven ways to find hope in difficult times

Set a goal 

Start your optimism journey by establishing new personal goals. Such goals don’t necessarily have to be life-changing ideas or significant pursuits. For one, you may want to focus on tackling small projects that you’ve kept on the back burner in the past or improve your skills. The main idea behind setting goals is to have something definite to look forward to and keep you busy —for example:

• Read one of the all-time book series, like Outlander, One For the Money, Game Of Thrones, The Beautiful Series, and Harry Potter. Read this blog for my personal favourite non-fiction books.
• Learn a new skill by taking online courses. The world wide web has an infinite number of online schools and courses to enrich your skillset or learn new hobbies. You could take photography, writing, cooking, drawing, and music lessons. Or you could learn digital marketing on Google and social media (Facebook, IG, etc). 
• Plan your dream vacation. So what if we are amid a pandemic? We can still plan a dream vacation by researching the destination and learning about the culture and customs. Start planning the trip details like daily itinerary, attractions, restaurants, and, more importantly, budget.

Or, you may want to initiate fun projects that may contribute to the well-being of others and give them hope in return. Take up, for example, a fundraising campaign for a local charity. You could organize a social event to raise funds like an online auction, a walkathon, a car wash, or a pet grooming day. Pick a passionate cause and learn how to design a fulfilling fundraising campaign. There are countless blogs and online resources such as Wiki-how, offering practical step-by-step guides to start a fundraising campaign.

Establish a daily routine

Humans are creatures of habit. And routines are helpful in times of ambiguity and stress. The greatest thing about having a routine is that it helps form good daily habits, be more productive, and feel more focused. In addition, a healthy daily routine boosts your mind with activities and ideas that stimulate positivity and hope. And, the key is to create a structure that gives a sense of predictability and clarity. With a structured daily routine, you can achieve the basic tasks that require completion. One of the simplest ways to create a daily routine is to list the things you usually do. The list includes meal preparation, exercising, showering, grocery shopping, booking personal appointments, paying bills. Once you have an idea of the primary chores you need to complete, you can start forming a broad outline for what you want to achieve each day to stay on track.

Pray or meditate 

What keeps you hopeful? When I posted this question on social media, 90% of responders answered: prayer! That shouldn’t come as a surprise since most cultures believe in a supreme being, energy, and a principal object of faith (HOPE). Hence, having faith allows us to see life optimistically and act confidently in times of despair. And prayer is an innate act our species have embraced since the dawn of civilization to ignite hope and motivate humans to overcome uncertainties and obstacles.

Psychologically speaking, prayer and meditation affect our state of mind, which, in turn, impacts our health. For example, prayer reduces anxiety and depression, lowers blood pressure, stabilizes sleep patterns, and influences autonomic functions like digestion and breathing. In addition, science has shown that prayer and meditation can help reduce stress, loneliness, fear, anger, and aggression. Prayer gives us hope. Therefore, take a moment each day to infuse your soul with hope through prayer or meditation.

Talk to family and friends

Communication with family and friends is key to calming fear and hopelessness. Being open about anxiety fosters empathy and compassion in others. It builds trust and support between family members and friends. Unfortunately, the tragic event of the decade (pandemic) evoked fear and created division and damaged relationships. Fear drives us to push others away, shut down and put up emotional walls. Be honest and express your worries by talking with adult family members. More importantly, encourage youngsters to talk about their feelings and lend them an ear. As adults, we often oversee the impact of social, economic and political crises on children. We think they don’t understand the magnitude of such issues. But truthfully, the pandemic has left a deep scar on children’s subconscious minds. And remember that sharing feelings of fear and anxiety brings everyone closer together and provides a comforting path of hope, encouragement, and support.

Exercise your brain

Hope is evident when the mind is robust and tenacious. So instead of dwelling on the negative thoughts, condition your mind to think positively. And the secret to a healthy mentality is mind exercises that improve brain functions such as reading, writing, and playing puzzles. Also, give your brain a break from unfavorable social media and news distractions that stimulate fear and anxiety. Turn off your screens and spend quality time reading a book, playing a board game with friends, listening to music, or solving a puzzle. 

Write a hope journal

Journaling is a great tool to facilitate the quest for hope. The practice of writing can enhance wellness, foster greater self-awareness, and cultivate hope. Documenting your challenges, what gives you hope and what could potentially give hope can highlight the elements which may inhibit the growth of a more hopeful perspective. When you confront the challenges and fears through writing, you empower the mind to find solutions and envision a better tomorrow. 

Stay physically active 

Exercising is an endorphin that boosts happiness and consequently awakens the feeling of hope and optimism. Another benefit of exercising is reducing stress and anxiety. By increasing your heart rate, you reverse stress-induced brain damage. In addition, you are stimulating the production of neurohormones which improve cognition and mood and improve thinking clouded by stressful events. Exercise also forces the body’s central and sympathetic nervous systems to communicate, improving the overall capacity to respond to stress.

Hiking is a wonderful outdoor workout that stimulates your mind and ignites the feeling of happiness and tranquility. Regardless of the season, hiking helps improve your physical strength and improve your mood. Try to take a hike with your family and friends at the nearest natural park or conservation area.

Summary

This article was meant to be the last piece published in 2021. However, when I set to write it, we got sick at home. Yes, we got infected and had to cancel our plans to be with our families and friends over Christmas. And on December 22nd, our beloved 13 1/2 yrs old golden retriever had a seizure. We spent the following 3 days doing our BEST, hoping he would recover. But, unfortunately, he lost mobility and couldn’t eat or perform essential functions. Sadly, on December 25th, Christmas Day, we realized that his suffering was too overwhelming. The decision to cease his agony was painful. I felt like my heart was bleeding, and I gasped with sadness. Sometimes, adversity comes when least expected.

Romeo (June 25, 2008 – December 25, 2021)

Nevertheless, we have to pick up the pieces of our broken hearts and move on. Writing this blog was the best thing to overcome disappointments and ignite hope. As they say – “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” 

“Better days are near. Hope is much stronger than fear.”