Day 19: When Hope's the Last Thing You're Feeling
Is hope a feeling or some other intangible thing?
Today’s been a shitty day. As I’m rushing to try to finish everything that I need to do at work so I can take a vacation over the holidays, I’ve become more intolerant of the interruptions from people who are trying to wrap up their lives too. I had to scrap and start over on a hours’-long video-editing project today because I messed it up and couldn’t recover from the mistakes I introduced. I learned that a friend is in the hospital and another friend is fighting her way out of depression. I was overreactive and cranky with my wife tonight who was just trying to get her stuff done before the last day of school before her winter break. The state of the world and, especially, the state of my country is closing in more than I’ve allowed it to over the last six weeks. And I’m feeling guilty because I have no right to feel shitty—my stuff is minor compared to what other people in my life are experiencing. And yet, here I am. In my 19th day of writing about hope, hope feels like a luxury I can’t afford.
This is what motivational speaker, Les Brown, says about how to deal with shitty situations:
Regardless of what challenge you are facing right now, know that it has not come to stay. It has come to pass. During these times, do what you can with what you have, and ask for help if needed. Most importantly, never surrender. Put things in perspective. Take care of yourself. Find ways to replenish your energy, strengthen your faith and fortify yourself from the inside out.
—Les Brown
I especially like two parts of this: “do what you can with what you have,” and “know it has not come to stay. It has come to pass.” To me, that means it’s OK to feel shitty, to even feel hopeless. The trick is to keep going. As singer/songwriter Melanie Demore sings in “Lead with Love, “You gotta put one foot in front of the other…”
Some glimmer of hope will resurface one day, and you’ll put the next foot forward and the next until you’ve figured out how to do what Les Brown suggests, “replenish your energy, strengthen your faith and fortify yourself.”
Last week a friend commented that I’d taken on a big project with my commitment to writing about hope for thirty days and wondered what else there was to say about hope. Sometimes I wonder that too, especially because I’m still trying to figure out what hope is. When I’m not feeling all hopeful and positive, my questions about hope grate on me.
Is hope just some Pollyanna concept that’s reserved for the person who doesn’t have a care in the world? Or is hope something real that we need to survive? As I’ve struggled with my questions about hope, I turned to the source of all knowledge in the universe (OK, not yet, but coming soon), AI. Specifically, I asked Chat GPT 4o to talk with me about hope. Here’s how the AI answered the questions I asked it.
What is hope?
Hope is a multifaceted concept that intersects psychology, biology, and philosophy. It’s often described as an emotional state, but it is more accurately a cognitive and motivational process that has tangible effects on our mental and physical well-being. Here's a breakdown of what hope is, its components, and whether it is "real":
Hope is typically understood as the belief that a better future is possible and that we have the ability to influence or achieve it. Psychologist C.R. Snyder, a leading researcher on hope, defined it as a combination of:
Goals: Clear objectives or desired outcomes.
Pathways Thinking: The ability to identify routes to achieve those goals.
Agency Thinking: The motivation to pursue those goals, even in the face of obstacles.
This definition suggests that hope is a cognitive process that involves intentionality, planning, and persistence.
Is hope an emotion?
Hope is often associated with positive emotions like optimism and joy, but it is distinct. Emotions are usually responses to external stimuli (e.g., fear in the face of danger). In contrast, hope is more proactive and future-oriented. It is not merely a feeling but a mental framework that helps individuals navigate uncertainty and envision positive outcomes.
Is hope a personality trait?
Hope can be viewed as a dispositional trait, meaning some individuals are naturally more hopeful than others. This trait, often referred to as "trait hope," is influenced by genetics, upbringing, and life experiences. However, research suggests that hope is not fixed and can be cultivated through practice and intentional effort, making it more dynamic than a purely innate characteristic.
Is hope a biological process?
Hope has biological underpinnings. Neuroscience shows that hope activates specific areas of the brain, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in planning, decision-making, and goal-directed behavior. When we feel hopeful, our brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with motivation and reward. This biochemical response reinforces positive behavior and helps us persist toward our goals.
Is hope a psychological process?
Yes, hope is fundamentally a psychological process. It involves:
Cognition: Thinking about goals and pathways.
Emotion: Feeling motivated and optimistic about outcomes.
Behavior: Taking actions that align with one’s goals.
Psychologically, hope is linked to resilience, as it helps people overcome adversity by focusing on solutions rather than problems. It also correlates with better mental health outcomes, such as lower levels of depression and anxiety.
Is hope real?
Yes, hope is real in both a psychological and biological sense. While hope may seem intangible, its effects are measurable:
Physiological Evidence: Hopeful individuals often experience lower stress levels and improved immune function.
Psychological Outcomes: Research consistently shows that hope is associated with better mental health, greater resilience, and higher levels of life satisfaction.
Behavioral Evidence: Hope leads to tangible actions, such as setting and pursuing goals, problem-solving, and persevering in difficult situations.
What’s the difference between hope and optimism?
Hope is often confused with optimism, but they are distinct:
Optimism is a general expectation that good things will happen.
Hope is more active and specific, requiring both belief in the possibility of a positive outcome and a plan to achieve it.
For example, optimism might say, "Things will get better," while hope says, "I believe I can take steps to improve my situation."
What is the role of hope in daily life?
Hope plays a vital role in human functioning:
In Health: Hopeful patients often have better outcomes in managing chronic illnesses and recovering from surgery.
In Education: Hopeful students set higher goals and achieve better academic performance.
In Relationships: Hope fosters perseverance and problem-solving in interpersonal conflicts.
Conclusion
Hope is not just a fleeting emotion or wishful thinking—it’s a real, measurable psychological and biological process. It’s a mindset that empowers us to envision a better future and motivates us to take action. While some people may be naturally more hopeful, it’s a skill that can be nurtured and developed, making it accessible to everyone. In essence, hope is both the anchor that steadies us in life’s storms and the engine that propels us toward brighter possibilities.
So, there you have it. Hope is real! I especially appreciate the conclusion. Hope is “a mindset” and “it’s a skill that can be nurtured and developed,” which I’m happy to say agrees with what I wrote about yesterday:
Well, my mindset was not very hopeful today. I am hopeful (see how closely hope lurks?) that things will be better tomorrow. I might still feel shitty about the state of the world, and about the things my friends are facing, but I’m confident that I’ll get through to a better day. I pray with everything inside of me that my country and my friends will too.
Today’s Reflections
What fortifies you when you feel despair? Create a collage of things that anchor your hope. Gather magazines, newspapers, or printouts of images and words that resonate with you. Create a collage representing people, ideas, places, or values that give you hope. Reflect on which elements of the collage resonate most with you right now and how can you integrate these hope anchors into your daily life?
Reflect on times when hope played a role in overcoming challenges. Write about the situation in a journal. Include:
What challenges you faced.
What gave you hope during that time.
How hope influenced your decisions or actions.
Then reflect on what helped you sustain hope in that situation. How did maintaining hope change the outcome?
Please share with me what you come up with.
With hope in my heart,
Annette
I’m especially attracted to the idea that hope is not wishful thinking. It requires energy and puts me in the picture.