Always have hope.

What happens when we begin to lose hope? How can we lose something that's intangible? Hope resides within each of us, but it seems to ebb and flow like the waves on a beach. We need to nurture our hope so it doesn't leave us. But how do we do that?

Somewhere I read that scientists say a human can last for forty days without food, a few days without water, eight minutes without oxygen but only a few seconds without hope. Jessie de la Cruz, a retired farm worker in South America wrote: “With us there’s a saying: La esparanza muere ultima. Hope dies last. You can’t lose hope. If you lose hope, you lose everything."

Hope is the life force that keeps us going and gives us something to live for. Hope is a crucial part of dealing with life’s problems and maintaining resilience is the face of obstacles. Even a glimmer of hope that our situation will turn around can keep us going.

In a conversation I had with my best friend yesterday, he said "for a while I thought pleasure was a possible answer; this is what I've always felt underneath it all, is that meaning is really the answer." And to me, that meaning includes hope. We have to find the meaning, the hope, in the things we do and think. Things always seem bleak when we lose our hope. When we run into constant resistance, when we are prevented from reaching our goals, we can start to feel like there is nothing to live for. If we can’t get to where we want to be and don’t feel in control of our life, what’s the point?

If your hope is a little low, I found a website at psychcentral here that had a really good suggestion: Use SMART as your guide. Make your goals: Specific ; Measurable ; Action oriented ; Realistic ; Time bound . Don't be afraid to set goals, even little ones! It's the little accomplishments in life that are like stepping stones, or a stairway, to bigger and better things.

Never lose faith in your abilities, trust the instincts you have inside, they will guide you through your journey. Always look to the future. Always believe that the best is out there for you to find. Never lose the faith you have in who you are. Because with that faith in yourself lies the essence of your hope.

Always have hope.

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I started this thread for two reasons. My BFF, who's been a friend for xxx-ty years (number left off to protect her age- hahaha), has had some things go wrong in her life, and I know how hard it is when bad things happen ---- you lose hope. And feel like you'll never get it back. But you can, and you will, but its up to each of us to rebuild it. You can do it, GF!

But I also wrote it for myself. Lately, hope seems to be slipping away from me in an area of my own life as well, and boy, when it happens it can be so difficult to deal with. It makes you wonder if you should give up that particular 'hope' , or revise it even. But the other things surrounding this particular hope are too strong to give it up. So ... I'll continue loving, and hoping :)

HUGS to everyone!