“Researchers are learning that a change in mindset has the power to alter neurochemistry. Belief and expectation—the key elements of hope—can block pain by releasing the brain’s endorphins and enkephalins, mimicking the effects of morphine.
This is a vicious cycle. When we feel pain from our physical debility, that pain amplifies our sense of hopelessness; the less hopeful we feel, the fewer endorphins and enkephalins, and the more CCK we release. The more pain we experience due to these neurochemicals, the less able we are to feel hope.
To hope under the most extreme circumstances is an act of defiance that permits a person to live his life on his own terms. It is part of the human spirit to endure and give a miracle a chance to happen.” ― Dr. Jerome Groopman, M.D., Harvard University and author of The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness.
Hope is a gift you don’t have to return, a power you don’t have to surrender. Here are three reasons for this:
1. Hope Is The Engine That Keeps The Wheel Turning
Hopeful people believe they can influence their goals, and their efforts can have a positive impact. An American Psychological Association’s research indicates that hope can drive us to manage stress and anxiety better and cope with adversity. It is the thing that gets us out of our bed and springs us into taking positive actions.
2. Hope Helps Us See The Impossible
Hope is, at its core, a perception. However, unlike most perceptions, it has the potential to create reality. It’s a mental image of something that doesn’t yet exist. It’s a sense of what’s possible. Furthermore, research shows that our goals are more likely to become a reality when we have hope.
3. Hope Helps with Strategizing
Hope invokes possibility thinking that pushes us to take action. Research has found that hope is at the heart of our goal pursuits. These pursuits give rise to strategic planning toward creating better outcomes. Our minds are undoubtedly active when strategizing, thus steering us out of mental paralysis because of fear.
Hope reminds us that we can persevere in the face of adversity and pursue greater possibilities. It can propel us forward rather than hijacking us in despair.
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” – Proverbs 23:18
“Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” – Proverbs 24:14
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” – Romans 8:25
Fred Tokè aka Dr. Tokèmon
