The Power of Hope

Rebel Mindset - Hope

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.” 

— Emily Dickinson

The Power of HOPE

• Hope is more than wishful thinking - it’s a blend of optimism and willpower - where are you on the ‘hope’ spectrum?

• Hope is also the belief that your future will be better than the present and that you have the ability to make it happen - this involves a high level of optimism and a ‘yes I can’ attitude - hell ya!

• While hope certainly involves our emotions, hope itself is not an emotion - hope is a way of thinking or a state of being - which means that hope can be taught!

• Hope involves taking action toward a goal which is different from a wish which we do not really have any control over

• There are many proven psychological benefits to being a high-hope person - they include:

  • having a stronger sense of purpose and meaning

  • having more positive emotions

  • feeling less loneliness

  • experiencing lower levels of depression

• The physical benefits of hope include:

  • fewer number of chronic illnesses

  • reduced risk of all-cause mortality

  • fewer sleep problems

  • better physical health

  • lower risk of cancer

• Here are some strategies you can harness to get your hope on:

  • take it one step at a time

  • turn to humour - have a laugh or two

  • gain strength from others

  • think of your goals as exciting challenges

  • be flexible and creative

  • persist even when it is stressful

  • expect roadblocks and work through them

  • find ways to increase your motivation

• Remember - hope is the belief that your future will be better than today and that you’re able to make it happen - it involves optimism, motivation, and strategy and with practice, you can develop a hopeful attitude which will improve your mental and physical health and even reduce your risk of illness

• Btw - I am filled with hope and believe in our ability to work together and build a world where we will live in peace with each other and Mother Earth - I am not being naive, I am just choosing to live hopefully for my one beautiful, precious life xo