3 . Glaciers are melting; children are facing violence; hatred is spreading. At times, it feels as if the world is reaching the bottom. 1 It’s one of the most powerful and essential human mindsets, and possible to achieve even when it feels out of reach. Chan Hellman, a psychologist, emphasizes that hope is a teachable and attainable mindset, not an inherent trait. How can we stay hopeful-even when it feels unattainable?
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As children, we were often warned against getting our hopes up. However, David Feldman, a professor studying hope, notes, “The truth is, whether or not we allow ourselves to hope, at some point we’re going to be disappointed. I think the solution is allowing ourselves to feel hopeful.
Set at least one meaningful goal
In the mid-1980s, the psychologist Charles Snyder identified three crucial factors forming the basis of Hope Theory, a model researchers still rely on today: First, people must think in a goal-oriented way. More on the other two elements, pathways and agency.) Make it a point to always be working toward at least one goal that’s meaningful by nature, Feldman advises. 3 .
Brainstorm solutions
4 . Feldman explains it as having clear and feasible strategies for goal attainment. If you’ve set a goal that’s meaningful to you, but you can’t figure out a way to achieve it, you’ll probably feel pretty hopeless. People who are high in hope, meanwhile, tend to have an alternative at the ready.
Call your support team
According to Snyder’s research, people who are hopeful tend to have a lot of “agency”, which means the motivation to actually achieve their goals. Getting a good night’s rest, following a healthy diet, and meditating can all promote agency, Feldman says. 5 . However, sometimes the strongest source of agency is other people. When Feldman is feeling low, he calls his father, who’s his biggest cheerleader.
| A．Seek for hope in loneliness |
| B．Give yourself permission to be hopeful |
| C．The cure for any despair might be hope |
| D．Surround yourself with supportive people |
| E．So can tapping into our own positive beliefs about ourselves |
| F．Another key element of Snyder’s Hope Theory is “pathways” |
| G．It shouldn’t be something you have to do but something you want to do |
