Contemplating hope 3
The emails often come in fast and furious to my work in-box. So many words. So little clarity. So much need for this or that. And so many of them signed off with what I am sure is intended as positive but what I take as fantasy.
“Have a wonderful day.”
“Have a great day.”
How can an ordinary Wednesday at my work desk in the middle of an ongoing pandemic be either wonderful or great, I wonder? Could we maybe just aim for ‘good’? I can manage good. I can handle the expectation for ‘good’. But expectations for wonderful or great? Move along to the next sucker, please. Count me out of that optimistic fantasy.
This connects into my ongoing contemplations about hope. I have already written that I believe action is an essential factor in making hope meaningful. And, it turns out, I am in good company for thinking this. In fact, it turns out, that the field of positive psychology focuses on “the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of life.”
Rutgers University research scientist Jacqueline S. Mattis focuses on positive psychology among people who are facing challenges. She has five strategies to cultivate hope: Remember, it doesn’t just exist. We have to actively nurture it for it to be present in our lives.
Mattis says --
Harness the power of uncertainty: “Perceive the possibility of success.”
Manage your attention: Don’t let the negative overwhelm you.
Seek community: “Hope is hard to sustain in isolation.”
Look at the evidence: “Hopeful people stake their trust in data.”
In data, you say? Yes. There is (are) data. More on that another time.
To be continued…
Thank you to my friend Ann Mason who introduced me to the work of Dr. Mattis via a podcast recommendation.
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A Post a Day in May No. 16 For the past two years, I have posted something to this blog every single day in May. This year, I hope to do it again.
Even though I know that writing a daily entry is a lot of work, I HOPE each year than you will continue beyond the month of May. Since, as I recall, retirement is on the horizon, I HOPE you will consider this!
ReplyDeleteHow hard it is to attend. This has been a hard year and a half, almost anyway. The news is good regarding the efficacy of vaccination, and here, in NYS, we are 50% fully vaccinated. What a difference a year makes. Yet I have no urge to mingle yet. The recluse in me has taken over.
Yet I have hope. And thank you for "are data"! I bet you know when to use agenda and agendum, too. xo
Because of your post, I can reclaim the word "hope". For a long time, I have thought of "hope" as a word that is "impoverished" in meaning because it has become a kind of cliche ("I hope you have a wonderful day!".) Maybe because of overuse? Because often one has "hope" but carries out no action?
ReplyDeleteBut you have brought substance to the word and concept through the specific acts recommended by Mattis. I will write these down and reclaim the word for myself.
Thank you!