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TWO ARTICLES TODAY ON HOPE !!!!
4 Strategies to Find Hope in a Hopeless Situation
(With Examples)By Jessie
Updated on January 29, 2023
Feeling hopeless is a common experience that many people, at one point or another will feel. Sometimes it can be difficult to find hope when you experience hardship or a traumatic event.
During times of hopelessness, it may feel impossible to be optimistic about the future. However, finding the strength to find hope is crucial to maintaining your well-being and moving forward with your life. Thankfully, there are things you can do to battle the feeling of hopelessness and make life feel a bit more manageable.
In this article, I will explore what it means to find hope, why it is important, and provide some helpful strategies you can use to help you find hope during tough times.
What does it mean to have hope?When we have hope it means we want an outcome to happen that will improve life in some way. Finding hope can make you feel less helpless and more optimistic about the future, which can make a difficult situation feel a bit more bearable.
Finding hope may signify different things to different people, depending on one’s perspective. For some, hope is spiritual or religious, placing your hope and faith in a higher power. For others, hope can entail attempting to maintain a positive outlook on a situation, despite how terrible it may seem.
Finding hope requires resilience. It is accepting that the current situation is difficult but recognizing that it will not always be this way and that you have the strength within you to overcome it.
Why is finding hope important?When we are not able to find hope, it can be detrimental to our mental and physical health.
Feeling hopeless can leave you feeling stuck, anxious, and depressed. It makes you feel like life won’t get better, and that it lacks purpose and meaning.
That’s why finding hope is so important; it gives us faith, strength, and a sense of purpose.
Emotional health benefits of finding hopeAccording to research, hope is a powerful predictor of positive emotions. Another study confirms this, finding a link between hope and lower levels of anxiety and stress.
When you have hope, you may feel reduced stress and anxiety because you believe things will work out in the end or change in a way that positively impacts your life. You may feel more equipped to take actionable steps towards your goals because you already believe that change is possible.
Finding hope is also important when it comes to coping with difficult situations. Experts say that people who have a high level of hope tend to perceive obstacles as more manageable and less stressful and can quickly recover and adapt to adversity.
Another study found more adaptive coping strategies, such as problem-solving and proactive coping, are linked to higher levels of hope. It also has an inverse relationship with maladaptive coping techniques such as denial and detachment.
Physical health benefits of being hopefulHope has been linked to a variety of physical health benefits, including a healthier immune system, a better prognosis for chronic illness, and a reduction in pain, according to research.
Studies also associated hope with an 11 to 15 percent longer life span, with hopeful people being more likely to live to the age of 85 and beyond!
Hopeful people may see their lives as more purposeful and meaningful, and therefore engage in healthy activities that contribute to stronger health outcomes. Studies have found that people with higher hopes engage in superior health behaviors, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, less likely to smoke or drink excessively, which all contribute to stronger health outcomes over time.
4 strategies to help you find hopeWhen you are experiencing hopelessness life can seem bleak. Thankfully, no matter how bad things appear at the moment, there are some things you can do to make life a little better and find hope for the future.
1. Turn to your support systemFamily, friends, or even a mental health professional can help you to get through times of hopelessness.
Sometimes when people go through difficult circumstances, their instinct may be to withdraw or isolate themselves from their support. It may feel like being alone is what you need, but ultimately it will leave you feeling more lonely, scared, and hopeless.
A little alone time is okay, but if you find yourself withdrawing completely from friends and family, that may be an issue. Try and make plans with a friend or loved one and hold yourself accountable to go. Your loved ones can provide you with support to get through the situation and can also be a nice distraction from hardship.
Additionally, if you feel that you need professional help, a mental health therapist can help. A therapist can help you to understand why you feel hopeless, and find a way to accept, adapt, or if possible, change the situation. Additionally, a therapist can also help you to process difficult emotions and set realistic goals for the future.
2. Reframe negative unhelpful thoughtsIt is natural to have negative thoughts, especially during times of distress. When you’re trying to find hope, it is important to challenge some of those negative thoughts, so that they don’t take over and consume you.
Your brain may try to tell you that things will never get better, there’s no use in trying, or that the world is unfair. However, just because you think these thoughts does not mean they are completely accurate!
Here are some questions you can ask yourself when you’re experiencing negative thoughts that may be distorted, inaccurate, or just plain wrong:
- Is there real evidence that supports this thought?
- What would I tell a friend if they had the same thought?
- Will this matter one day from now? What about one week, one month, one year?
- How have I dealt with similar situations in the past?
- Is this within my control?
Of course, there will be some circumstances that are completely beyond your control, and in those cases acceptance and resilience are key. Instead of focusing on trying to change impossible circumstances, focus on taking actions that alleviate some of the unpleasant emotions related to the situation.
For example, perhaps you experience the loss of a loved one; of course, something like this is out of your control. You can take back some control by focusing on your self-care or supporting your loved ones. This can make you feel less hopeless, even though the situation itself has not changed.
You do not need to completely resolve every difficult or unfortunate situation you experience. Focusing on the influence that you do have, and the positive impact you can have on yourself, and others around you, can help you to find hope and move forward.
4. Practice mindfulnessWhen you are having trouble finding hope you may ruminate about past situations or worry about the future. When our thoughts are constantly stuck in the past or worrying about the future, it may make us feel more hopeless, anxious, and depressed.
Practicing mindfulness brings us back to the present moment. It involves focusing your attention on the here and now. Research shows mindfulness practice can help people with stress reduction and finding hope. When you get the hang of mindfulness practice, you are able to take a step back from unhelpful automatic negative thoughts. This helps to cultivate more constructive, and hopeful thoughts.
Jessie Faber WriterWriter, athlete, social worker, and professional thrift shopper. Born in Canada, but currently living my dream playing professional soccer in Greece. Passionate about mental health advocacy, sewing, singing, and playing guitar.
Wrapping upFinding hope during difficult times can be tough, but not impossible. Life will always throw you unexpected curveballs. What matters is that you are able to find the strength, courage, and resilience to view the situation as a bump in the road, rather than a complete roadblock.
On May 2, 2023, from: 4 Strategies to Find Hope in a Hopeless Situation (With Examples) (trackinghappiness.com)
What Can Help When You're Feeling HopelessBy Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief
Updated on March 02, 2023
Medically reviewed by
David Susman, PhD
Hopelessness, by definition, is the belief that things aren’t going to get better or that you can’t succeed.
Whether you feel hopeless about your ability to get out of debt or you feel hopeless about almost everything in life, it is an awful feeling.
Feeling stuck in a place of hopelessness makes life really tough. Fortunately, there are some things you can do when you're feeling hopeless to make life a bit better—no matter how bad things might seem.
Consider That Your Brain Might Be Lying to YouYour brain might tell you that things are awful, horrible, and dreadful. It may try to convince you that you can’t succeed or tell you that there’s no chance things are going to get better.
But just because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true. Your thoughts may be distorted, inaccurate, or downright wrong.
Hopeless feelings fuel hopeless thoughts. And it’s easy to get caught up in a negative cycle that makes it hard to see that things can get better.
You might even think things like, “I’ve tried everything already and nothing works!” But that’s probably a cognitive distortion. You may have tried a few things—or even 10 things—but you likely haven’t tried everything.
At least be open to the idea that the way you’re thinking might not be accurate. There may be more hope than you imagine.
Argue the OppositeWhen you feel hopeless, you’ll likely think about all the reasons why nothing will ever get better. So take a few minutes to argue the opposite.
What’s the evidence that things might work out better than you expect? Or how might things actually get better?
Thinking a bit about the potential positives can open you up to more possibilities. And while there’s a chance that things might not turn out great, there’s also a chance that they might not turn out as bad (or stay as bad) as you’re anticipating.
Arguing the opposite might just open your brain up to the idea that things may not be as gloomy as you’re anticipating.
Think About What You Gain From Feeling HopelessThinking about what you gain from being hopeless sounds like a strange exercise on the surface. After all, you might be thinking, “I don’t gain anything. I don’t want to feel this way.”
But, upon a little more reflection you might discover that feeling hopeless protects you from being disappointed. If you don’t expect anything good to happen, you don’t have to worry about being disappointed if things go poorly.
Being hopeless also might help you feel all right about not taking action.
For example, if you’re hopeless that you’ll ever pay off your debt, you might not bother trying to increase your income (by getting another job) or you might not manage your spending (by creating a budget).
So consider whether you might be gaining something by remaining hopeless. You might find it somehow protects you from creating change or doing anything differently.
Consider What You Could Gain From Developing HopeOn the flipside, consider what you could gain if you became more hopeful. How might your life change? What would you be doing differently if you had hope?
Then, you might go ahead and start acting as if you were hopeful.
For example, you might realize that if you had hope, you’d be going out and meeting new people. Or, you’d be applying for a new job. Go do those things, even if you aren’t hopeful, they’ll work.
Sometimes, you have to change your behavior first and the feelings might follow. So if you act hopeful, you might start to eventually feel more hopeful.
Engage In Problem-SolvingThere is always something you can do to solve a problem or to change how you feel about the problem. Spend some time thinking about potential solutions to the problem. Brainstorm ideas and keep them in mind, you don’t even necessarily need good ideas. Just see if you can come up with as many strategies as you can to address a problem.
If you can’t solve the problem (like in the case of a loved one’s illness), consider how to change how you feel about the problem. Could spending time with family members help you feel a little better? Might you feel a little more hopeful if you took a mental health day from the workplace?
There’s always something you can do to make things a little better or to help yourself feel a little better.
Talk to a Trusted Friend or Family MemberWhen you’re struggling to identify possible solutions or you are having a hard time getting unstuck, reach out to a trusted friend or family member. Tell them what you’re experiencing.
They may be able to help you see things from a different perspective. Or, they may offer strategies that can help you feel better.
It can be hard to tell people what you’re going through. However, telling someone could be key to helping you gain a little more hope about your situation.
Develop a PlanAfter you’ve developed ideas—by yourself and/or with someone else—create a plan. Decide what step you are going to take first.
Keep in mind that if plan A doesn’t work, you can always have a plan B. Think of your plan as an experiment and your job is to run as many experiments as you can until you discover what works.
Take ActionOnce you have a plan in place, it’s important to take action.
After all, you likely won’t gain hope about your situation by sitting still. Instead, you’ll gain more hope when you start putting yourself out there and start seeing what you can do.
Seek Professional HelpHopelessness can be a symptom of a mental health issue, like depression. So if your feelings of hopelessness last more than two weeks or you’re concerned about your mental health, talk to someone.
A mental health professional can assess your needs and discuss your treatment options, like talk therapy or medication. Most mental health issues are very treatable. Treatment can help you feel more hopeful about the future.
Get Help NowWe've tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Find out which option is the best for you.
A Word From VerywellRemember, just because things feel hopeless doesn’t mean they are. With a little help from someone else or a slightly different perspective, you might discover that things can get better.
5 Sources
On May 2, 2023 from: What Can Help When You're Feeling Hopeless (verywellmind.com)
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