Hope in the New Year

The past two years have given millions of individuals plenty of reason to be bitter, and rightfully so. Loved ones have been lost, dreams have been pushed out of reach — and in spite of this, life remains to be a place beaming with the bright possibility that everything will be just fine, if we only hold fast to hope. 

Life is painful and challenging, and avoiding times of trouble is impossible, but facing adversity with hope in one's heart opens a door to the possibility of happiness. Hope is the most powerful tool one can wield as their greatest weapon against the perils of life; hoping is a form of resilience. When we choose hope, we choose to persevere through seemingly inescapable challenges. When life gives us continuous reasons to quit, hope gently pushes us to believe in kinder days ahead. This belief fuels the flame of motivation, moving us to strive to rediscover happiness that has been lost.

Hope is not synonymous with blind faith. Hoping for one's situation to change into something better does not replace fighting for what one desires with wishful thinking, but rather gives one something to fight for. Possessing internal motivation to continue to move forward is the surest way one will actively move toward a content life. While writing for Psychology Today, author Polly Campbell acknowledged, “Hope implies that there is the possibility of a better future, according to the famed hope researcher C.R. Snyder. It shows up at the worst possible time when things are dire and difficult, but can keep us going during those hard moments.” When we can’t see a bright future ahead of us, hoping for one gives us a clear picture in our mind’s eye which we can turn into reality.

When there is a lack of happiness and comfort, hope is the one vital thing that must exist in order to pave the way to merry days. It gives us courage, and fights for plans waiting to be executed. Hope plants a seed in even the most unfertile soil and causes good to bloom in the most desolate of places. Rich gardens await those who are brave enough to believe in the beauty of what has yet to grow.

Hope serves as a guiding star, lighting the winding path of darkness each of us may walk upon. One may not be able to see what is right in front of them due to darkness, but if we have the wisdom to look up and see the light that still shines for us, we will always find our way home. When we believe in the promise of the path we take, the path will handle each and every one of us with care.

Hope endures through the toughest of times; it is not naivete, but an exercise in actively pursuing the life one could have. Hope supersedes the fear of stagnant unhappiness, and replaces it with the belief of the happy ending of one's own design. Life is ours for the taking if we are brave enough to fight, to believe — to hope.