Have you ever been stuck in a difficult situation? What did you cling to? HOPE, right! It is a powerful force. It can pull you from the depths of despair and serve as a motivational force to fulfil your aspirations. You may have every talent, skill, or ability in the world but if you are hopeless you are good for nothing. It is the ultimate and most vital psychological vehicle essential to getting you through in life? People can survive the most dreadful situations in Life only by holding unto hope and it is one of the keys to success in life.
For years researchers have been trying to figure out the answer to ‘why is hope important in life’. There’s sufficient research to prove that i is the most essential trait necessary for the survival of a person. A hopeful person can survive even the deadliest of situations. ‘Hope theory’ formulated by the eminent psychologist Charles R. Snyder and his colleagues comprehensively explains the influence of hope on different aspects of life. Barbara Fredrickson, professor of psychology, believes that hopeful people have a mindset of ‘I think I can’. Such positive thinking is fruitful when crises loom and life becomes hard. To understand why hope is important in life and the benefits of hope, we need to first comprehend its true meaning.
What is the true meaning of hope?
What is hope? Hope is defined as the desire with the expectation or fulfillment of a particular goal. It is often associated with a wish, desire, or aspiration. It is yearning for the circumstances to work out. Hope often looms in a difficult situation. But, it may also be there when life is content. The true meaning of hope is to believe in a positive outcome. When speaking about hope in a spiritual context it might mean laying faith in a higher power for good things to happen. Hope is like wishing everything will work out in your favor and even to ‘hope against hope’.
It is usually is much focused on a particular goal. It is not being optimistic. An optimistic person is generally more hopeful. On the other hand, even a pessimist can be hopeful for certain things in life. But, Why is hope important in our lives? According to Charles R. Snyder’s ‘Hope theory,’ hope is a dynamic cognitive motivational system. It involves the will and ways to achieve the desired goal. It serves as a motivational force to achieve goals and ambitions. A hopeful person is determined and has different strategies at his disposal to achieve those goals. Hope is important in life because it increases the performance potential and the probability of favourable outcomes.
What does having hope mean?
Having hope means always looking on the brighter side of life. It is having a desire for things to change for the better and wanting that better situation to prevail. It is like envisioning the future but at the same time, it makes the present more bearable. Hope links your past and present to the future and gives an overarching narrative of life. It is like the light at the end of the tunnel. It is like yearning for the best outcome and struggling to accomplish it. Even in the absence of any hardship hope is important to the very act of being human.
It involves planning, motivation, and determination to get what one hopes for. According to research children who grew in poverty but were later successful in life had one thing in common- Hope. It is like seeing a ray of light amidst darkness. Hope is important as it gives a glimpse of the possibility not seen in the darkness. It is like you’re at the end of a rope but still holding on to it. It shows you the way but for an instant only and you must act on it before it vanishes and becomes a feel-good emotion only.
Why do we need hope | 6 significant Benefits of hope
A life without hope is no life at all. As Luther preached,
Everything that is done in the world is done by hope
It improves your overall wellbeing. Hope drastically impacts and improves your mental, physical and emotional health. It motivates you to take whatever steps you need to change the present situation. Hope, according to Aristotle, is a dream of a waking man. At its peak it offers joy but its absence can also lead to devastation. Hopelessness and despair are the opposites of hope. When it evades our life it can bring in sadness, despair, and even depression. However, having it significantly reduces depression, anxiety, and stress. We need it to stay afloat when life engulfs us into crises. We need hope to pass through the daily grind of chores. Here are someother amazing ways to tackle stress.
1- It brings you joy and peace amidst turmoil
People often wonder,” What is the power of hope?” Well, hope is an elixir that is generated from within. It can bring in calmness and peace at times of discomfort. Just envisioning a better future and things to work out gives you a sense of joy. Our mind loves to predict future and daydreaming, but the hope is not turning away your face from reality. Instead, it is hoping for a future that is close to reality. A future that you can work on if you act upon it. Hope is important because it gives you a glimpse of the possibility not seen in the darkness. Just that glimpse of possibility is enough to keep you going for the rest of the day. It is like ‘Hoping for the best’ even in the worst situations.
2- It instills courage and strength making you more likely to succeed
Life is unpredictable. It comes with its trials and tribulations. It will be unfair to you. However hard you may try for things to work out in your favor it might not always. It is important in life as it motivates you to stay sane in times of hardship. It is like working day and night to achieve your dream job. Hope is so powerful that even if you fail nine times it motivates you to stay in the game and succeed the tenth. It gives you strength and valor sufficient enough to never quit however close failure might seemingly be.
It is like a tree providing you shade in the scorching heat. Heroes are made through tough times. It takes 10, 20, 30 years, or even a lifetime for a person to be called a leader, and having it makes your long journey bearable. Click here to learn amazing other ways to stay motivated.
3- It gives you the patience to cope with an imperfect life
We all are living an imperfect life in an imperfect world. Life is a journey and it’s bound to come with some disappointments and failures. Every day there are plenty of reasons for us to be frustrated upon. It is important because it gives you patience which is a way to find emotional freedom. You can act crazy, frustrated, and agitated but that won’t change the situation at hand. Acting rationally and sensibly definitely would. Frustration is not the key to any door. Instead, it makes the situation feel even worse. It makes you feel at loss and you indulge in self-pity. We have become too use-to to immediate results that when there’s a little delay in our desired results we get intolerant.
However, patience gives you emotional freedom and liberating breath that you have been longing for. It is an essential life coping skill and a prime benefit of hope. Here are some tricks to change your life.
4- The power of hope gives you the confidence to step out and try
Confidence is an attribute that many people like to possess. It cannot be learned in an instant rather it is a state of mind. It arises from a positive mindset. Hope arises when you believe in your abilities, skills, and talents no matter how ruthless life may be. It is believing you are deserving enough and not settling for anything less. Why is hope so powerful? Because it is interlinked with confidence. Without confidence and hope no matter how skillful you are people will treat you like trash. According to Helen Keller an author, political activist, and lecturer,
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in the US. The world is replete with inspirational stories of such confident people who made it through thick and thin. Who believed in themselves and worked day and night tirelessly and confidently to achieve their goals. You are no exception. You just need to push a little harder through the power of hope.
5- It is important as it keeps you positive
Hope is a state of mind that focuses on positive outcomes. It is hoping for the best even in worse case scenarios. It is cherishing a desire with confidence. Having it means focusing on the brighter side of life. It is looking for that silver lining in the sky and making the best out of it. Positive thinking promotes productivity. It calms you in an oftentimes negative world. The world is cruel in general. You have friends who might not be your well-wishers. Some people are in search of the moment you stumble so that they might point a finger towards you. People are ready to criticize but they are not willing to appreciate you.
Just when criticism and negativity kicks in a positive mindset will soothe you down like a medicine. It is learning from your previous mistakes instead of complaining. It is your saviour and an antidote to desperation. Here is how to stay positive.
6- Having hope means improved mental and physical health
Several kinds of research on hope prove its innumerable health benefits. It reduces your physical pain. When you are hopeful you are less likely to experience pain as you tend to focus more on your healing power. Just the idea of getting better makes you feel less pain. Higher hope makes you less complaining which in turn diminishes the mental hold of pain. A hopeful person is less likely to suffer from chronic illnesses. Over the years innumerable research has been carried out to demonstrate the link between hope, optimism, and physiological processes like respiration and circulation. Staying hopeful improves your cardiovascular health and reduces your risk of a heart attack.
Experts believe that just improving your mental health outlook can significantly improve your heart health in the long term. So, make sure to manage your anxiety on a daily basis to improve your mental and physical health by holding onto the power of hope.
Hope is life / Conclusion
If you are still wondering is hope useful or just a waste of time? Does it play a substantial role in the scheme of things or is it just a feel-good emotion? Then let me shed some light over the power of hope.
It is the mother of change. It sparks the flames of change, motivation, and inspiration. Hope makes you want to struggle for more. It like a ray of light in a dark tunnel that shows you the way but for an instant only and you must act on it before it vanishes your mind forever. Hope is life. It is like oxygen having the miraculous capabilities of transforming a hopeless person and making him strive to live once again.
While it alone is not enough to bring change, it is our passion, commitment, and dedication that brings about transformation. It sparks the flames of discontent and change and we are the ones to add fuel to the flames to keep the fire alive. It is the belief that you can overcome a specific challenge. Hope is an act of perseverance and seeing things through against all odds. It is a human phenomenon and the most powerful tool gifted to us to cope with the various challenges that life presents.
