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Hope 

laren

The definition I like the most: “to expect with confidence” (www.merriam-webster.com).

 

How confident are we to expect good things to happen? How much do you exercise your ability to hope? I live in the moment, and I don’t tend to plan ahead too much; I have a routine and a schedule that I follow. But, when I am not in my routine or on my schedule, I allow things to unfold as they may. And, no matter how busy I get; I always hope.

 

Sometimes I don’t know what I am hoping for, but I feel the power of well-wishing in my heart. I feel the excitement of what is to come; all good things. I anticipate the best. I know, in my heart, that good things come to me. Therefore, if I am in a rut, or there is some negativity seeping in, I look to the areas that may need some maintenance. These areas that I immediately think of are listed below.

 

Friendships. Friendships are necessary commodities and a healthy friendship can support you to your goals, and provide security (keep in mind that security is not always provided in currency; sometimes having that one person who sticks up for you is all the security you need). Friendships need to be safe and sound, and encouraging. Beware of the critic in your life; critics are by in large not very hopeful, and tend to see the downside to all situations. Of course, every situation has a downside… but, if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it… Does the downside of any situation really exist if we do not provide it energy? The downside of a situation does not exist as strongly if you do not provide it with energy. The critic needs that negative energy and those whose focus is on the bad will live with the bad. Be selfish when it comes to your friendships, and make sure that your friendships are diverse and that there are more hopefuls than there are critics.

 

Work. Work is necessary for many of us and occupy sometimes more than 80% of our lives weekly. Everyone is listening to the news when it comes to a tough economy; and, it is not easy to change careers or jobs at this time (but not impossible). If you have a job that is seeping negative energy that is diminishing your hope; change your direction (take action) with your career, learn new coping skills to help manage your stress during your day, and make sure you overwhelm yourself on your downtime with all things that you love. Sometimes being hopeful of better times or a better situation is attainable by simply doing all things that you love more often. I find that sitting on the sofa watching TV is not as effective as taking a walk, or just spending time outside. The therapeutic strength of nature is remarkable. Time outside, away from the indoor electrical buzzes of computers, modems, TVs, and cell phones will help close the gap that is allowing negative work energy to diminish your hope. And, if you are having a hard time with your manger, or a co-worker (from personal experience, I know that this can devastate hope), I recommend reading a book on servant leadership. There are many books available regarding servant leadership and how we can turn ourselves into stronger leaders and identify those qualities in others. Leaders are hopefuls; surround yourself with one or two, and grow the servant leader within. I find that the stronger my leadership qualities, the more hopeful I seem to be no matter what, no matter what situation. Another strong reference point for me professionally is www.DaleCarnegie.com, which has excellent collections of books as well as CD books. And although this site is geared toward corporations, I find that the same principles can be applied to my personally life as well. There are also books and CD Books that help the reader/listener find effective language to use in any situation (work or personal). Dale Carnegie was a hopeful, ahead of his time, whose material is still being practiced today. Surround yourself with hopefuls, even if those hopefuls (for now) are authors.

 

Future. I include this in the maintenance area because I think we all spend some time thinking about our future. I’m sure all of us have dreaded the future, immediate or long-term, at some point; and that feeling of dread diminishes hope because dread is motivated by fear. What is fear anyway? And, is fear real? When we are managing a medical illness, fear certainly is real, and there are support groups to help people manage those fears. There is also education, and education empowers. But what about the rest of us who can’t seem to control our anxiety as well as we used to? I believe the solution is the same; education. The idea that we are able to lead ourselves out of our current situation and into a better situation (which starts with hope; to expect with confidence) is supported by lifetimes of those who accomplished this before us. It is a fact, it has been done; people have lead themselves to higher ground. We can expect, with confidence, that we are capable of doing the same; no matter what our current situation, no matter what our status, or ability. And, it will be accomplished through education, which might be attained from a self-help book, support group, lecture, weekend retreat, sitting with a family member (or teacher or friend) and talking, a community group, etc... I have found that education resolves much fear, and that fear should be credited as the motivator only (not intended to stay long).

 

Being hopeful requires some level of courage to dare to dream that things can change for the good, that we deserve something better and that we are capable of attaining it. Check in with yourself; find your fears, quiet the critic. Cultivate hope. Expect good things, with confidence.



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