I used to think that if I always expected the worst in every situation, I will never be disappointed. If by chance, something good happened, I would be happily surprised. If only bad things happened, it would be exactly what I expected. It felt like a good way to think. So, I never allowed myself to hope.
But, not having any hope had consequences. I soon began to notice that I was sad all the time, afraid of world and constantly anticipating disaster. The lack of hope also meant I had fatally resigned myself into thinking that there was nothing to do, because nothing could ever change.
After years of holding on to this hope-free philosophy, I realised that in the absence of hope, I could neither heal from old wounds nor live a happy life. Hope was the linchpin. I needed to get it back.
In the article “Hope: The Linchpin of Change” published at Pippa Rann Books, I explain what hope is and its importance in the healing journey.
