Cultivating hope means different things to different people. There are many situations that come up in our lives where fostering more hope is how we move forward from feeling uncertain. I can think of a situation in my own life. When I became more hopeful, I could change the outcome or direction. Here is one example, and it was a big one. Back in December 2010, my friend and I were using her Ouija board. A helpful Spirit told me I had cancer. Then in January 2011, I felt a lump in my left breast and scheduled my mammogram. After I had several more tests, the conclusion was that I had triple negative bilateral breast cancer.
It is important to cultivate a sense of hope no matter what your situation is.
A hopeful outlook allows the brain to focus on a positive actionable outcome or solution to whatever situation one faces in their life. When we are rooted in our suffering, our brain cannot clearly see our next step. Often, we make impulsive decisions and cannot focus or think beyond how we are feeling. Once we shift our mind, the brain fog lifts and our awareness changes along with our feelings about the situation. Hope is a strong emotion that is often overlooked. It’s easier to dwell on the negative than on the positive.
Take the earlier example of my cancer diagnosis. Initially, I was worried and ruminating over my thoughts. This negative banter in my brain caused me to freeze and become totally fearful. It wasn’t until my husband made me change my doctor from my local community hospital to a hospital that had a breast cancer center with a well-known specialist. I had wanted to stay with my local doctor where I felt comfortable. But I wasn’t seeing clearly. My husband was, and he knew I needed to be with a specialist in the field, not a general surgeon. Once I realized we made the right decision in changing doctors, my outlook changed. I could see myself on the other side. It was very reassuring. My breast surgeon removed all the breast tissue, and I was told that I didn’t need mammograms anymore. A less skilled doctor might not have gotten all the breast tissue.
Everything I did from here on out was focused on healing. My attitude shifted to feeling extremely hopeful that I would move through surgery and treatment with ease, grace, and little suffering. I can remember the oncologist telling me he was surprised at how well I was responding to the Chemotherapy treatments and after each Pet Scan, it looked as if the cancer was leaving my body altogether.
Here are some meaningful things you can do to cultivate hope.
Having a worthwhile relationship with the Divine Creator is key. Ask yourself, what does God mean to you? (Many of my clients book a reading at this point to discover what false beliefs they have that are holding them back.)
- Begin your relationship with God by setting up your prayer practice.
- Being out in nature and taking a mindful walk will also help you focus on hope.
- Using positive affirmation statements to get you out of your funk is another key technique.
- Monitoring what your thoughts are saying will help you notice that you’re not being hopeful.
Please let me know in the comments of this blog what you do to cultivate more hope in your life. I look forward to having a further dialogue with you.
