How can Practicing Hope Improve Your Life and Wellbeing?

How optimistic are you about your future when it comes to achieving your goals, living a meaningful and fulfilling life, and building and maintaining supportive relationships?

Hope is a powerful driving force that drives us towards pursuing our goals and aspirations. It is also crucial during challenging times, as it provides the necessary motivation to overcome obstacles and persevere through adversity.

Furthermore, hope plays an essential role in fostering mental and emotional well-being. as it instills in us a sense of optimism and openness to the possibilities of the future, and it enhances our overall mood and outlook on life.

This positive mindset can have a ripple effect on the various aspects of our lives. It helps us form and maintain supportive relationships, be more productive, and have a greater sense of fulfillment.

In addition, hope is closely linked to personal growth and development as we are more likely to embrace new opportunities, take risks, and push beyond our comfort zones when we believe in a better future. Being open to opportunities can have a transformative experiences that ultimately contribute to a sense of purpose and self-actualization.

In conclusion, having a sense of hope is not just a fleeting emotion but is an approach to life that impacts how we think and act. It serves as a guiding light that illuminates the path towards a brighter future and empowers us to overcome challenges, nurture our mental health, and embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal development.

People vary in their levels of hope. While some people are born with an innate tendency for optimism and hope, others are not. The encouraging news is that hope can be nurtured, as it involves both a mindset and a skillset that can be honed. Those who are hopeful tend to approach life in a manner that enhances their prospects.

Regrettably, a considerable number of people lack significant levels of hope and are unaware that hope is a skill that can be acquired and improved.

Do you feel that you need a boost of hope in your life?

According to Snyder (1994), you can start building your hopeful mindset and skillset by:

1. Becoming aware of and clear of what you want. It is always helpful to write down what you want than what you do not want! Example:

Do write: "I want to find a job that would fulfill and interest me."

Don't write: "I don't want to stay in this job anymore."

2. Think about how you can switch your 'want' into action steps. Setting action steps (goals) will help you define exactly what you are going to do and how you are going to go about it. Research shows that setting approachable goals that are are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, and supporting yourself while doing it by celebrating small successes and planning for pitfalls, is likely to help you achieve them and not give up.

Example:

Continuing with my example, I "want to find a job that would fulfill and interest me." Now I am translating my 'want' into one (or more) goals:

Goal: "My goal is to spend 30 minutes every day applying for new jobs until I find a new job."

Not a goal: "My goal is to find a job that would fulfill and interest me."

Remember: Your goals are action steps. Most times, you will need to break down big goals into small and specific goals, but don't be afraid to set high goals!

Research shows that people who set high goals are actually more likely to achieve them because their goal are more meaningful and motivating.

3. Create different pathways to achieving your goals. You will hit roadblocks on your way. We all do. Planning and preparing for roadblocks will help you switch to an alternate path if/when needed. This will help you stay motivated, hopeful, and on track for achieving your goals.

Write down your alternative pathways.

Example:

Continuing with my example: "My goal is to spend 30 minutes every day..."

Do write:

• If one day I forgot/couldn't spend 30 minutes, I will spend 40 minutes the next three days.

• If there are not enough available jobs in my field and I don't need to spend 30 minutes a day on applications, I will instead make a list of the companies that I would like to work for and spend that time learning more about them.

Don't:

• Be hard on yourself if you forget/don't get to it one day

• Get discouraged
  

4. Reflect on your sense of agency (this step can be done at any point). Ask yourself 'do you believe that you are able to achieve your goals? If you answer yes to this question, you can stop here and start pursuing your goals and be hopeful that you can achieve them! If you hesitate, or feel that you are not sure that you have what it takes to achieve your goals, you might want to pause and spend some time and effort building your sense of agency. Alternatively, sometimes the goals themselves are problematic and require spending some time reevaluating your goals by asking yourself if your goals are approach goals (e.g., I want to eat healthier) and not avoidance goals (e.g., I want to lose weight)? Are your goals specific enough that you know what to do? Can you measure your success? Can your goals be achieved as they are or is there a need to break them down or to get help? Can you achieve your goals in a timely manner?

This practice is based on the following research:

Snyder, C. R. (1994). The psychology of hope: You can get there from here. Free Press.

Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives. Management Review, 70, 35-36.