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    What Is Hope

    Uploaded by

    ncshan1969
    our stories of hope

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    What Is Hope

    Uploaded by

    ncshan1969
    12 views2 pages
    our stories of hope

    Original Title

    What is Hope

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

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    our stories of hope

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    12 views2 pages

    What Is Hope

    Uploaded by

    ncshan1969
    our stories of hope

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    You are on page 1of 2

    What is Hope?

    From the tenuous bonds that connect us with one another to the ever-present
    vulnerability we share as humans in a chaotic world, our lives are forever saturated
    in the possibility of catastrophe. Bad things — often really tragic things like
    accidents, illness, and untimely death — happen to people every single day. We
    know this, yet we are tasked with finding ways of moving forward in a world where
    nothing is guaranteed.
    But how? Mainly, we find ways to oppose the dread of life's dangers with hope: an
    aspirational feeling that circumstances can improve, that we can persist, that there
    is at least as much good in the world as bad.
    What hope does for us
    The topic of hope is low-hanging fruit for pop culture and even politics: Not all that
    long ago, one US president hailed from a town called Hope, and another
    campaigned on it. But hope is also beginning to reveal its value in scientific studies.
    Among young adults with chronic illnesses, greater degrees of hope are associated
    with improved coping, well-being, and engagement in healthy behaviors. It also
    protects against depression and suicide. Among teens, hope is linked with health,
    quality of life, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose. It is an essential factor for
    developing both maturity and resilience.
    Fortunately, such benefits also extend into later life, as the opportunities for
    calamity start to increase. Our bodies fail us. We may experience life's setbacks like
    losing jobs, relationships, or family members. If our early challenges are so often
    related to growing and developing into healthy adults, later life can be thought of as
    a period of consolidation and acceptance of one's self, even as the physical body
    declines and circumstances shift for the worse.
    Hope is a shield and a path
    Hope can be a particularly powerful protector against the dread of a chronic or life-
    threatening illness. It needn't center on a cure to be useful, though those
    aspirations are enticing. Rather, a person's hope — even when facing an illness that
    will likely end their life — can be aimed at finding joy or comfort. It can be cultivated
    and focused on achieving life milestones, such as meeting grandchildren or
    attending a child's wedding. It can be found in moments of serenity: what is
    contentedness if not an acknowledgment that there can be good in our lives, even
    under challenging circumstances?
    Lastly, hope can be an opportunity for us to process events that seem
    insurmountable. A massive setback in life, a crushing accident, a vigil held during a
    relative's last days in the intensive care unit, or even our own final months living
    with a fatal disease can be times when hope for comfort or reprieve serves as a
    pathway from one stage to the next.

    Hoping for hope


    Hope is an essential component of our well-being. What can we do when it seems to
    be in short supply? First, we can start by practicing gratitude. Spending a few
    minutes each day recounting the positives in one's life — even small ones like
    noticing a moment of serenity in the sunshine, or the endorphins of a brisk walk
    around your neighborhood — can have enormous impact. Next, we can begin to
    actively envision realistic ways that our circumstances may improve. Pain and
    discomfort often subside. Even deep sorrows can pass with time. In all these cases,
    the action to embrace is to choose to be mindful and deliberate about fostering
    positivity, even in the face of its absence.

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