Hope is a force field

One of the great challenges of life is to remain kind and positive in the face of negativity and meanness.  For some reason, I have been thinking a lot about how to equip my friends and family with a force field to protect them from the negativity and unkindness.  And then I realized, I don't have to equip those I care about with a force field, we each can create our own.

Hope is a force field.

Hope allows us to believe that better days are coming, that good will triumph over evil, that it really will be OK.

So, my task then is to coach on how to restore and maintain hope.

What specific and tangible actions can be taken to restore hope?  Some are simple physical actions.   If you are feeling hopeless, first have a big glass of water.  Then, think about how long it has been since you ate, and eat something if it has been too long between feedings.  Once hunger and thirst are addressed, get dressed in something that makes you feel good about yourself.  Then celebrate that you had water to drink, food to eat, and clothes to wear.

Do something to make the world a better place.  That is as easy as smiling at someone, or holding a door, or gesturing for someone else at the four-way stop to go first.  Reach out to someone important to you and let them know they are important to you.

Go outside.  Drink in the beauty and majesty of this wonderful world we live in.  Appreciate the beauty of a flower, a bird or a leaf.

Read a book.  Get lost in the story.

Real life can be daunting and difficult.  Use your Imaginary Lives to make reality more bearable.  Allow yourself to get lost in a wonderful memory of a beautiful time.  Spin a life for yourself where everything is as you want it to be.  Remember, imaginary lives are just that, imaginary.  They are not dreams, they are not plans.  Imaginary lives are one way of coping with a reality that is difficult.  They are a way of escaping a reality that is painful.

Hope gives us the power to try.  Hope gives us protection from hurtful words and actions.  Hope gives us the energy to keep going, when it seems too hard.

Hope is a force field that protects us from the negativity and harshness of the world.  When times are good, feed the force field.  Have a cache of robust imaginary lives to draw on when times are tough.

It is incredibly hard to find hope when you are hopeless if you have not invested in hope when times are good.

Start filling up your figurative hope chest.  Fill it with good deeds, and good memories, and imaginary lives full of promise.  Keep your force field strong.