The Hope Factor

This year has not been what I expected. I've felt the weight of disappointment – the aching gap between expectation and reality in a massive way. Like I’ve literally woken up at times almost tasting disappointment, the weight so present I had no doubt or need to question what this emotion could be. 

I could list all my disappointments here, but for this “health blog” I’ll use my health struggle as the example. 

It’s been the same health issue every day now for a few years. I’d get excited about my new different strategy, and then deal with the letdown when it didn’t pan out. Its been raw, frustrating and I have felt winded! Especially when health and wellbeing is what I do. 

And it hasn’t been just me; I've seen friends and clients go through the same cycle of almost giving up because it seems to be relentless or ineffective.

I realised though that the disappointment had become more of the problem than the symptom or failed strategy.  When thinking about what to do,  I remembered that often an effective health remedy is to do the opposite of the presenting situation - like opposites attract. So if disappointment is my overriding factor, what then is the opposite of disappointment? 

It’s hope. 

So I started researching hope. Like I knew I needed hope but how would I get it? 

Here is what I discovered:

The describing words of hope are: Activator, Anchor, Assurance, Confidence, Endurance, Expectation, Faith, Fortitude, Life, Living, Persistence, Promise, Resonance, Shield, Source of Joy and Peace, Space, Thrill, Truth, Unending, Vibration, Vision. I’m sure there’s way more - you can add your own

Hope is the confident expectation of the things not yet seen.

Hope does not disappoint. 

My hope was deferred and making my heart sick. So how would I get my longing fulfilled, see a turn around and “be a tree of life”?

Hope is Truth: 

Hope is more than just wishing things will get better. You can't hope to turn into a mermaid or a unicorn, that's fantasy. I could hope to win the lotto but that’s a gamble not a certainty. I could hope to fly but that conflicts with the law of gravity, a solid truth that remains unchangeable, no matter how much I wish otherwise.

Real hope is anchored in truths and principles that, when applied, will eventually bring about change. It's choosing to believe in what's real and possible, even if it's not yet visible. It isn't airy-fairy cliches, it’s an expectation of the truth, a steady anticipation that the principles we apply in our lives will lead to results. It's not a passive state; it's active and dynamic, reminding us to persevere. True hope comes alive when we apply it IN our struggle. It's not about detaching from reality but facing it head-on with the first tool - the tool of truth. 

And that’s the difference - it once again proves we need to know foundational truths of how the body works. Then holding onto those truths regardless, and HOPEFULLY or with FULL HOPE applying those truths habitually. 

With no pride, I can say I’ve studied the laws and principles of the body. For every symptom I think system. Yet even so, my disappointment made that truth to no effect to my health. It was like having the key in the engine but not turning the key. Hope is not just the key but using the key!

In today's world, where we expect quick fixes, choosing to hope is really going against the grain. Today’s world says - rather not hope or expect so to not be disappointed. It's hard to keep hope alive surrounded by that AND you feel crap. You choose to keep expecting change even when instant results aren’t there. Hope is pointing us beyond our problem but you have to choose to see it as the solution. 

It’s hard but just because it’s a struggle does not mean it’s not working. Hope is a habit!! And you choose your habits. 

Hope as the Connector and Conduit:

Hope is the vital connector, the conduit that bridges 'here' to 'there'. It's the essential element in the journey from our current situation to our desired outcome. Without hope, that 'there' (the place of health, healing, or resolution) remains out of reach. We might not be able to see the destination yet, but it's hope that guides us there, step by step. I once saw a video clip about each cell of our body having a hope receptor, that it lights up the cell with energy and life.  I have not been able to find it or can find any evidence referencing this, but it did paint a picture for me of hope lighting up and RESONATING in my body for healing.  From a physiological or cellular point of reference, there is always a connector/conduit that knocks on the door of the cell to bring something into and handover into the cell. Hope is actually like that knock factor, the vibration for the cell to open the door for the good to be absorbed. It makes life work. 

Hope is Sense and Safety

Our senses help our body check for safety, continuously scanning our surroundings. Among these senses, hope stands out as a '6th sense', crucial in shaping our view of what's coming. It goes beyond what we can see, touch, smell, taste, and hear. Hope is like reassuring our body, offering a feeling of security and a trust in the future. This reassurance is vital. It makes the body feel safe, ready to heal and change. By trusting in hope, we work with our body's natural systems, not against them. This trust is key to letting our body do its job in healing and adapting. Our sense of hope actively shapes how our bodies physically respond to our health and our future.

Hope is an Action: 

As already stated, Hope isn't a feeling; it prompts specific actions, especially when it comes to health:

• If you're HOPING to make it to more exercise classes, start by booking them ahead of time. Treat them like important appointments that you can't miss.
• If you're HOPING to lose weight, it's about small, consistent changes. Change your environment, keep an eye on what you eat, and set realistic goals. Every healthy choice you make is a step towards that goal. Weight is NEVER extreme!! 
• If you're HOPING to recover from a disease or condition, it's important to understand that it doesn't magically disappear. Transitioning from 'here' (with the condition) to 'there' (healed or managing well) requires applying truths. It's essential to hope in the truth that the body has a remarkable capacity to heal by miracle or by time. And it's crucial not to lose hope when one method doesn't work. Healing often requires exploring different approaches and consistently applying what we know to be true about health and wellness. (Hello me! At least I’ve tested a whole lot of things for you 🤣🤣).

Hope is Belief:

We move forward primarily by what we believe, not just by what we do. People of hope are people of conviction. They hold onto their beliefs in the face of symptom, understanding that these beliefs are the solid road that any single action can safely drive on.  

In closing:

After all my years in health, this year of disappointment has led me to the most important and maybe the deciding factor about what makes health work. (And then other areas of your life too).

It’s hope. 

I’ve tried to formulate words to create a summary but I feel it so deeply that I can’t seem to express it. Like if I say you have to hope, you  will say that’s easier said than done. And that’s true because I can say it and only you can do it. 
I can’t really make you believe. I can’t make you hope. I can’t make you choose. I can’t make you do. I can’t make you experience the sense of anticipation. 

But I can only tell you I’m going to choose for myself. I can't stop disappointments from showing up, but I don't have to let them stay. 

I can only say that the nitty gritty of it is that you have to be excited about the hope that’s actually in your mind even though you don’t see it and seems contradictory because it’s not real yet. And that seems weird, airy fairy and it’s HARD to choose it. Seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing.

I will choose hope even when it’s hard to let the disappointment go. I prefer the possibility of something better, even if it's unknown, rather than clinging to something that failed to meet my expectations. The choice of hope opens the door to a future, outweighing the familiarity of disappointment. 

I have nothing to lose by choosing hope in every situation. The same is for you.