An introduction to hope

Hope means different things in different contexts. Hopefulness versus hopelessness in this context refers to the subjective belief that you will be able to respond well to your life. Many people think having hope means “having hope that life will go well for me.” This isn’t helpful because none of us have full control over whether our lives will go well. We only have control over how we respond to our lives.

Change as a fact of life is an experiential truth. Try to show me a thought, feeling, or sensation that has never changed in any direction in a single organism. Everything changes.

Recognizing that the nature of life is change is necessary but not sufficient for hope. Everything changes, but what if it gets worse?

Growth as an inherent human drive doesn’t mean that we are all always making progress towards wellbeing, happiness, and success at all times. I take it to mean that we all always have the opportunity to learn from everything. Life is your teacher if you let her be. If you are curious about your experience and trying to learn from life, even unpleasant experiences can offer you hope about how you respond to life.

As you think about what helps you maintain hope, consider being having hope about how you will respond, rather than what will happen to you.