What is hope? In its simplest form, hope is about the future.
There are three essential elements to hope: having a desire or desire for something that is valuable, and the belief that it is possible to achieve that desire, even when it seems uncertain. Then we must trust that we have the resources, both internally and externally, to achieve this important desire, even when we face setbacks along the way.
For example, I might hope to retire to a quiet beach town to pursue my hobby of painting (desire), and I believe it is possible, although I would have to plan carefully (trust in inner resources). I also believe I will settle into the community and make friends who share my interest in painting (reliance on outside resources), even though it may be difficult at first.
When we hope, we have a vision of an imagined future and anticipate specific outcomes. In this way, we choose to focus on possible good things that can happen, even when faced with uncertainty.
Hope has many further dimensions. It includes our thoughts, because we evaluate the future and the possibility of achieving what we desire. In the process we receive information and use it to achieve our goals. The hope is also to experience positive emotions. It can further be a driving force, pushing us forward.
Hope can have a powerful spiritual element – many, if not most, religions emphasize trust in a higher power that valuable results can be achieved. This trust can maintain hope in difficult times.
Hope also has a social dimension, in the sense that people can share hopes and have hopes for others. Our sense of hope can be further affected by our own context, and how others define what is possible and desirable in the future. This aspect of hope is important when considering our expectations for the national and international future.
Overall, hope is a universal human phenomenon, studied by several branches, for example, philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology and economics. In recent times, we have increasingly integrated knowledge from all these fields to understand the complex phenomenon of hope.
In studying hope, it has been measured in different ways. Most psychological studies have used existing questionnaires in the industry.
How hope affects our lives
How we think and feel about the future affects us in the present.
Overall, hope is beneficial to our well-being. Hope encourages us to persevere even though we may face setbacks. Optimistic individuals are more likely to characterize difficulties as challenges rather than threats. This enables them to experience setbacks as less stressful and tiring. For example, research shows that hope is negatively associated with depression and worry.
This means that people who have higher levels of hope will be less likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. Hope has been linked to many other positive outcomes, including higher levels of psychological well-being, life satisfaction, happiness, and meaning in life.
The importance of hope was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enough studies found that people who had higher levels of hope were less likely to experience high levels of stress, depression and anxiety.
The research in which I am participating, the International Hope Barometer Projectexplored hope, coping, stress, well-being and personal growth among participants from 11 countries during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
Most reported moderate to high levels of hope, although at the same time they experienced moderate levels of perceived stress, characterized by feelings of unpredictability, being out of control, and being overwhelmed. Hope and well-being were primarily related to the ability to reframe negative events in a positive way, to accept and actively deal with daily challenges, and to find relief and comfort in religious belief and practice.
Hope is not only beneficial to us individually, but to society at large. Optimistic people are more likely to engage in proactive behaviors that could benefit the community. In the context of global and local upheaval, collective hope is especially important to maintain momentum toward the future.
Learning to cultivate hope
Hope can be strengthened and strengthened to some extent. Until now, most research has focused on how hope can be promoted in psychotherapeutic and medical settings. There have been several interventions focused on hope developed in these contexts, with promising results.
More generally, programs have been developed to foster hope among young people. One, referred to as Positive Futures, developed in Switzerland, aims to help young people identify and cultivate positive things, experiences and feelings in life and to foster self-esteem. It further aims to develop desirable long-term future scenarios and promote hope through voluntary and meaningful projects.
On a more practical level, I believe it is possible to cultivate hope by watching how we assess difficulties. Can we see them as challenges rather than insurmountable obstacles? We can also consciously draw on our individual and collective resources and actively look for the good things around us, amidst the chaos we may be experiencing.
Sharing our hopes with those close to us can further strengthen hope by highlighting shared goals and desires for the future.
