“Hope springs eternal in every human breast” – from “An Essay on Man” – Alexander Pope (1732)
Today, despite all the scientific and technological advancements, we live in a world filled with a persistent onslaught of chaos. Distressing images of war torn cities, refugees fleeing political strife – more often than not fuelled by the greed of a few – and turf wars over opioid distribution, along with many other dark imaginings, flood across our technological devices on a daily basis. Difficult as it is, there are those among us, who can visualise the silver linings behind these dark clouds, those who believe in hope.
They are there in our midst, the apparent eternal optimists, those people who sail through life always upbeat and positive. We admire their traits, their positive thinking, the ability never to be overwhelmed by the negativity swirling around them, always focused on what’s in front of them, never dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Exceptionally capable of accepting a stumble as just another learning experience. Why are so few blessed with this apparent gift of unlimited hope?
Interpretations of what hope is – and isn’t – will vary from person to person. One approach is to bury one’s head in the sand and simply wait for things to get better. Or one can proceed on the psychological avenue. “Hope isn’t a denial of what is, but a belief that the current situation is not all that can be. You can recognize something’s wrong, but also that it’s not the end of the story,” according to Thema Bryant, PhD, a past president of the American Psychological Association (APA).
In the 1980s, psychologist C Rick Snyder, PhD, defined hope as “the perceived capability to derive pathways to desired goals, and motivate oneself via agency thinking to use those pathways.” Psychology differentiates optimism from hope, as simply wishing for a better future, as opposed to an action oriented process involving concepts such as goal-setting, and cognitive restructuring. Hope is a skill set which can be learned and applied according to the APA. At the heart of the matter is the identification of the goals and plotting their pathways. In the latter instance, a shift in mindset necessitates the work of reframing thoughts and the formation of new habits. Initial goals should be small and easily achievable. Setbacks are inevitable, and should be regarded as information about which strategies don’t work, and an opportunity for modifications.
Collective hope involves combining energies to create a shared vision and the identification of strategies. “Big societal issues can feel overwhelming because alone, we can’t move the needle,” observed Chan Hellman, PhD, a professor of psychology and founding director of the Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma. “But when we find others who share our story or experience, we collectively form a powerful voice and energy that can influence change.”
In one recent instance, collective hope was demonstrated by the White Helmets, a volunteer humanitarian group, during the Syrian civil war, where, as several factions strove for control, there was a tremendous loss of civilian life. The organisation comprised 3,000 men and women, who put their lives at risk on a daily basis, in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives. The White Helmets (2016), a documentary film, which recorded the destruction of Aleppo, a Syrian city, by frequent airstrikes and bombings of homes, hospitals and schools, captured the bravery and heroism of the volunteer women and men as they excavated their most vulnerable fellow citizens, as they lay trapped under the rubble of bomb explosions.
When all was seemingly lost in the wanton destruction of one of the most ancient civilizations – Syria dates back to 10,000 BCE – in the world, a group of men and women demonstrated to the world what the true embodiment of the human spirit is, selfless service to mankind. They offered the gift of hope, a quality that is usually abundant during this season. Over the next week, as we reflect on the past year, we can begin cultivating our goals for collective hope in 2025.