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consciousness
October 2009 
Finding Hope
Posted on Jan 5th, 2009
by 
Cynthia
Cynthia
 "The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure but from hope to hope." -- Samuel Johnson Anyone watching the news these days might get an impression that the future we seem headed toward is not quite one we had most been hoping for. Regardless what news is being reported, and what hopes may seem to be dashed, there is always a silver lining in every seemingly dark cloud. If you ever find yourself losing hope in dreams from the past, there are tried-and-true ways you can find your way to a wonderful future, full of love, joy, and fulfillment. The key to finding this happy future lies in keeping hope alive. Hope is more specific than optimism, that generalized expectancy of good things coming our way. Hope is founded on goals that genuinely matter to us, as well as how we plan to achieve those goals.  When I think of hope, I get a mental image of Tarzan swinging from vine to vine, effortlessly finding a new vine as he swings through the jungle. Each new hope carries us forward in a direction somewhat close to what we envision our optimal end point to be, and we can grab onto new hopes along the way. Even if our ultimate desired goal may seem impossible or distant, we can rely upon hope and our awareness of our personal goals to assist us in finding the next goal... the next hope... to move onward and upward. Hopes become conscious when we visualize and/or verbalize what we desire. We may look back through time to see how we have set and achieved a wide variety of goals despite various challenges throughout our lives. Simply stating what our goals are, and then relaxing into an energized, expansive state of consciousness is enough to bring us to a place of receptivity where we can find the next hope... the next goal.Barack Obama's successful campaign founded on the quality of hope provides recent validation of the human need to find and foster hope in troubled times. Psychologists point out in books such as Handbook of Hope how the loss of hope is associated with specific clinical disorders, and how the practice of hope therapy can positively transform peoples' lives. Hope therapy researchers such as professors Jennifer Cheavens and Laura Dreer present studies that show how Hope Therapy Fights Depression, as they point out that, "Hope therapy seeks to build on strengths people have, or teach them how to develop those strengths. We focus not on what is wrong, but on ways to help people live up to their potential." You can practice some hope therapy right now, to improve your sense of well-being and positive focus on your dreams. Start by thinking back to your past and remembering a time when you fulfilled your goals. Think of a time when you overcame challenges that arose in your path. Think of a time when you experienced personal success. Think of what you are really and truly grateful for in your life right now, and how much of what you are so grateful for came about as a direct result of your hopes, goals, and desires. Take a few minutes to write down these chapters from the book of your life. Take another few minutes to read what you just wrote. This narrative provides you with a marvelous tool for getting a fresh perspective on your current situation, which might have seemed difficult or even impossible, but which now presents you with many possible options for moving forward, depending on what, exactly, you are currently hoping for. Are you interested in some light-hearted, yet powerful tips on how to go for your dreams? Hay House author, Peggy McColl has just the book for you... her delightful book, Be A Dog With A Bone: Always Go for Your Dreams, that can inspire you to "stop chasing your tail," "bark for what you want," and "be a little dog with a big dog attitude." Your book purchase this week gives you a chance to win one of sixteen fabulous prizes, including a weekend trip to Tampa, Florida... and a one hour coaching session with me! Wishing you may discover just how good your life can get, Cynthia Sue Larson |
You can read more articles by Cynthia Sue Larson and subscribe to her free ezine, RealityShifters News, at
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