David Nelson, Author & Cowboy Poet | PALS: Hope

David Nelson, Author & Cowboy Poet | PALS: Hope: Hope By David Nelson The positive physiological effects of hope are well-documented, most eloquently in Jerome Groopman...

Hope

Hope

By

David Nelson

The positive physiological effects of hope are well-documented, most eloquently in Jerome Groopman's "The Anatomy of Hope," where he writes: "Researchers are learning that a change in mind-set has the power to alter neurochemistry.

"Belief and expectation -- the key elements of hope -- can block pain by releasing the brain's endorphins mimicking the effects of morphine. In some cases, hope can also have important effects on fundamental physiological processes like respiration, circulation and motor function."

·       Having hope is to imagine a positive outcome. The directive of many motivational principles is to visualize what you want and imagine positive outcomes so that your behavior is unconsciously structured to create them. Basis for Treasure Maps.

·       The way in which a hopeful person handles disappointment differs from those who are not. Even if the present is unpleasant, the thought of a positive future can be stress-buffering and can reduce the impact of negative events or disappointment. Being unrelentingly optimistic about the future helps you to recognize that you are adaptable and capable, enabling you to reassure yourself that you will get through a tough time.

·       Hope can flourish only when you believe that what you do can make a difference, that your actions can bring a future different from the present. To have hope then, is to acquire a belief in your ability to have some control over your circumstances. You are no longer entirely at the mercy of forces outside yourself.”

·       But it is not only in medical journals where we gain the knowledge we need to cultivate real hope. We also learn from reading or hearing about other people’s stories and how they survived their challenge. 

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Our hopes are very personal. And no one gets to tell us what to hope for. We are allowed big hopes, medium hopes, small hopes and very teeny, tiny hopes. Our job is to be hopeful about something everyday and keep those good chemicals flowing through our bodies like Morse Code messages across the Atlantic so that we can return to wellness.

“There is no medicine like HOPE, no incentive so great and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow.

Orison Swett Marden

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