Finding hope

Hope is one of those all or nothing words. It can be ‘I hope the weather improves’ – fat chance, empty and outside our control as we’re learning. Contrast that with ‘This gives me great hope for the future’. It’s based on something and feels optimistic.

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How do we build hope for ourselves? I find it hard when I look at the scale of the challenges our country faces which means I’ve got to turn inwards. I suggest we can do three things to build hope:

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·?????? Look back. What have been your successes? How did you achieve success? I imagine through hard work, your skills, insight, determination, perseverance, experience. Have you still got all of that? Well then, that’s a start. What hardships and obstacles have you overcome? If you did it before you can do it again.

·?????? Look around. What about your family? Looking at my two adult children who are making their way in the world, making good choices, living the life they want to live gives me hope, not least as I’d like to think I contributed something to that (point made on Mother’s Day!). What about the people in your company, the team you’re in and the contribution they make? What’s the state of your wellbeing? If you have your health, you have it all. Worth looking after. And while you’re looking around, It’s spring! Plants are blooming, birds are singing.

·?????? Look ahead. What are you looking forward to? The Easter holidays? Having a break and some time with the family? Going somewhere nice? Having some time to think about the opportunities you’ve got in the business and how to take advantage of them?

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What do you feel is within your control or not under your control when it comes to finding hope?? The term ‘locus of control’ refers to the extent to which people feel that they have control over the events that influence their lives. People who have what psychologists call an internal locus of control feel that they have a lot of influence over what happens in their lives.? If you feel you have no influence over the course of your life, then you have an external locus of control. This isn’t an absolute: most people find themselves somewhere on a spectrum.

People with an internal locus of control:

• Are more likely to take responsibility for their actions Worry less about what other people think of them
• Have a strong sense that they can achieve what they set out to achieve
• Feel more confident, happier and independent.

At the other end of the spectrum, people with an external locus of control:

• Feel powerless to change their situation
• Blame others for the situation they find themselves in
• When things do go in the right direction, they are more likely to attribute that to luck.

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What do you feel able to do to build hope in your life?