A friend of mine challenged me to write about my hopes. I don’t know why. Maybe because I said – “I don’t hope” and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to explain the ‘why’ part. Nevertheless, I took up the challenge and here I am.

So, instead of writing what I hope for, I am going to define what ‘hope’ means to me.

Pain is a byproduct of a problem.

Happiness is a byproduct of function, purpose and conflict.

Similarly,

Hope, for me, is a byproduct of mindset and knowledge.

Just like waking up early in the morning, and saying “Today is going to be a very productive day” and then spending the rest of the day in bed won’t get us any far from where we were yesterday. Mere ‘hoping’ will not bring about any change in our life.

HOPE is important because it can make the present moment less difficult.

– Thich Nhat Hanh

True but, is it always right? Let’s see…

We personalise our hopes based on our own life experiences, perceptions and knowledge. Clearly, it is different for everyone.

Some people hope for a better future.

Whereas,

Some others hope to see a neighbour fail.

Then why is hope considered to be such a good thing?

Now, consider the following – 

  • When do we hope? – During a tough situation.
  • Why do we hope? – To feel better about the situation.
  • Does having hope always give a positive outcome? – No. We have all heard about false hope, haven’t we?
  • Is happiness the result of hope? – No.
  • Does having hope change our life? – Only hope? Never.

Then why should we keep reminding ourselves to have hope? 

So, what’s better than ‘having hope’?

The will to change.

So, when we feel the need, let’s not glue ourselves to the ‘hope’ for a change. Let’s step up and act on it.

Let’s find ways to develop a positive mindset and to build knowledge.

And let’s hope this would give us a better chance of success. 😉