The Power of Hope

What is Hope?

Hope!

It seems it’s always associated with sunshine. Why? Maybe because there’s nothing quite so bright and cheerful as the sun. We feel it when the sun goes in, our bodies drawing naturally toward rest at sunset, as though the very fact that the sun is gone is reason enough to sink into sleep for the night.

Now think how you feel when the sun is supposed to be there, and it isn’t? Think about this: as many as 10 million Americans have Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. SAD comes about during the winter months when the sunlight is less plentiful, leading people to feel…well…sad (which makes this a perfect acronym for the disorder). In truth, this lack of sunshine creates problems so severe that people with SAD are diagnosed with clinical depression, all because the sun isn’t out. It’s in these moments that the meaning of hope feels most distant, yet most needed.

We already feel it. On those rainy days when you never see the sun at all, you might experience lethargy. It’s harder to think, let alone stay awake. Rainy days can be a struggle, especially if you’re already tired or stressed. This is why we get so excited about the fabled ‘silver lining’ we see on clouds.

When the sun is about to break through the clouds, we catch a glimpse of it in the places where the clouds are thinnest, turning those spots to ‘silver’ right before our eyes. When we see those places in the cloud, we can’t help but feel a surge of joy, for we know we’ll see the sun soon. The world is about to be restored in all its glory. Moments like these remind us of the quiet power of hope, how even a small light can lift a heavy heart.

How can hope be any brighter than this? It’s the act of seeing the silver lining that tells us whatever trouble we’re in, it’s about to be over and done with. Things are about to get a whole lot better.

Put more simply, hope is the ability to see the opportunities in the crisis and the good about to come our way. This is the true meaning of hope: seeing beyond the storm, even when the skies are still gray.

Hope is about optimism and the belief that bad things won’t last forever.

It’s also one of the most potent and vital emotions in the world.

The Power of Hope

There’s a lot more to hope than the ability to look on the bright side of things. In fact, hope has quite a bit going for it, with benefits ranging from improved health and mental well-being to the manifestation of outward success at home and work.

Understanding the meaning of hope becomes urgent in those quiet, aching spaces where we’re searching for something to hold onto.

And once we do, we start to experience the true power of hope in our everyday lives.

Think about what having hope does for you:

Start Your Day with a Smile

Having a hopeful mind means waking up optimistic. After all, why wouldn’t you feel positive as you set about your morning routine? You already know today is going to be a great day! That’s the power of hope; it sets the tone before the day even begins.

Experience Joy

Hope doesn’t have room for anxiety, fear, or worry. Instead, it calls to optimism, anticipation, and yes, happiness. Hope sees the good coming and gets you excited about what’s coming next. This alone is pretty powerful stuff. The power of hope invites joy in, even when circumstances haven’t yet changed.

Enjoy Clarity of Thought

Research has shown that optimistic people actually think clearly. A study by the Indiana School of Law in Indianapolis found that those who saw themselves as hopeful individuals did much better academically than those who did not.

Be More Motivated

People who have hope have an easier time buckling down and getting to work. Because of this, they’re also apt to get more done when they do sit down. Why? In part because they’re tapping into their enthusiasm and positive feelings toward the future. With a sense of a positive outcome, no matter what, it’s no wonder you can’t wait to get started. This forward motion is part of the power of hope; it pushes us into inspired action.

Attack Problems with Creativity

This is another outgrowth of a clear mind, coupled with motivation. Hopeful people tend to be more goal-oriented, meaning they’re going to look harder for solutions. The optimistic inclination to believe they’re likely to succeed makes them take more risks and think outside the box to get things done. In short, they become more creative in reaching their goals.

Have More Successful Outcomes

All of this together naturally leads to greater success. Don’t believe it? In the study mentioned before, hope might have led to better grades, but it also led to more academic achievement.

Hopeful people tend to set more goals and then do what it takes to pursue them. Why wouldn’t they? They’re already expecting to succeed!

Feel More Satisfied

Hope tells you that the work you’re doing has a purpose. That more profound sense of purpose is often rooted in the meaning of hope itself. With this purpose comes the knowledge that everything you do will push you toward your goals to eventual success. How can you not be satisfied knowing that?

Live Adventurously

Hope means you have a favorable view of outcomes, so you aren’t hesitant when it comes to taking chances.

The meaning of hope shows up in our willingness to try again, to risk again, to believe again.

It’s hopelessness, which tells you you’re going to fail. If this were truly the case, you’d never do anything at all. Thankfully, hope is always just around the corner, encouraging you to keep trying even if the outcome sometimes isn’t right.

Engage in Deeper Relationships

Hope allows you to enjoy the people around you and see them as being on your side. With this in mind, you’re more likely to put effort into your relationship, to trust the other person more, and to allow yourself to be more vulnerable with them. This creates intimacy on intense levels. The power of hope shows up in connection, in the trust it fosters and the love it strengthens.

Feel Better

Did you know hope can impact your health? Hopeful people tend to heal faster and have more robust immune systems. They even report experiencing less pain than those who focus on the more negative aspects of their health. Hope has even been shown to improve your breathing and heart function. You’re also more likely to get through a significant health crisis if you’re hopeful than if you’re not. This is where the power of hope becomes physical, restoring not just your spirit, but your body too.

Sleep Better

When you reach the end of the day, a hopeful mind puts you to bed again with a great deal of peace. Hope tells you tomorrow things are going to work out just fine, meaning it’s ok to let things go and rest. A hopeful mind is less likely to experience insomnia and will sleep better and more deeply than an unsettled one. You’ll also be more likely to stay asleep through the night, meaning you wake up bright and refreshed when you’re hopeful.

Put all this together, and you’ll see some pretty bright outcomes to living with hope. That’s powerful stuff! It also makes it that much more noticeable when you’ve completely lost hope.

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
— Desmond Tutu

Let me know at Donna@DonnaPresents dot com in the comments below if you’ve tried any of the strategies and how they’ve worked for you.

Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some. I have been meditating for over five years, but there were many days I found myself slipping. But, these days, not so much, not since I completed the no-cost Action Habits Challenge by Connie Ragen Green, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur. You can check it out here.

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I’m Donna SLam, and I love to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and to others by sharing tips and strategies for living a fulfilling, purposeful life. I enjoy helping others lead healthy, happy lives through meditation, walking, self-development, and spending time with loved ones.