Recently, I was in a very timely and valuable conversation regarding the effects of “Hope and Resiliency” .    This community virtual town hall, focused on how we can build healthy relationships and coping mechanisms in the light of a world pandemic.

That perhaps in such times,  it brings transparency to events, situations and topics that may have needed to be fixed for some time and unfortunately, only given attention because of the evolving effects of the economic shutdown that includes, our schools, small businesses, understaffed hospitals-the list goes on. All during a Presidential Election- We are truly experiencing unparalleled events !

Hope –

Discussed by Rick Miller, a professor and researcher at Arizona State University  and the Center for the Advanced Study and Practice of Hope, has been conducting research for years to prove that hope can shift our thinking process to a more functional emotion.

Hope is the best reaction for the moment, says, psychologists.  “It’s crucial to our physical and mental health. It guards against anxiety and despair and it protects us from stress”- Research shows that people with higher levels of hope have better coping skills and bounce back from setbacks faster. They’re better at problem-solving and have lower levels of burnout. They have stronger relationships, because they communicate better and are more trusting. And they’re less-stressed parents—more able to teach their children to set goals and solve problems.

In most cases, events such as the one we are experiencing (and have seen), can cause mass chaos.   When fear drives a narrative, Hope is sometimes one of the only actions we can utilize to frame our situation and times differently.

When we see the effects of this unprecedented time unravel,  we need to harness the seed of change from a perspective of hope.  Decades of research have now demonstrated that hope can be reliably measured, that hope is malleable, that hope promotes resilience, and that hope is beneficial across contexts and the lifespan.

When harnessed intentionally Hope and Resilience can be associated with many positive outcomes, including greater happiness, better academic achievement and even lowered risk of death !  It is the necessary ingredient to getting through tough times and of course meeting everyday goals- and the good news is, research shows that almost ANYONE can be taught to be more hopeful !

External Links:

Ottawa County Town Hall on Resilience and Hope

Introduction to the Science of Hope