Hello there! How are you? I pray you are fantastic!
Happy Saturday...
In my last post, I wrote about how to destress yourself with hope, but what about hopelessness?
In my last post, I wrote about how to destress yourself with hope, but what about hopelessness?
I really should have written this post first.
Hopelessness has no hope and can bring you down to the depths of despair. If you are feeling hopeless, three things can help you.
First, seek intervention. What I mean by intervention is to see your doctor, find out if you have a chemical imbalance or a medical problem, and then listen to your doctor's advice, which includes taking medications if necessary. Medicine is so critical and can help, but you don't want to be on them forever, so with the advice and medications, the next step can help you from being on meds too long.
Second, change your focus, which is changing your mind. Every human has a habitual way of thinking, and usually, when someone is depressed and hopeless, they tend to focus on what they do not have, are not, and how they cannot be as good as others. This, my friend, is a mindset backed by years of solid neuro-pathways, which is how our brain snares us with things we do not want (I'll save that topic for another post).
The best ways to change focus and habitual ways of thinking are writing in a journal, meditating, centering your thoughts, and telling a different story. The first and only things a hopeless person ought to journal about are love and gratitude. This practice is most effective first thing in the morning and every day for at least a year, which can only take about one minute of your day.
Meditation quiets the mind, helps us listen to the unhealthy thoughts that we ramble in our minds, and allows us to change these thoughts because of our awareness. A centering idea is a small, loving, and kind sentence that we can choose, which will help take charge of unhealthy, negative thoughts and feelings. Finally, telling a different story from the sad one we tell over and over every day will remove our focus from sadness.
Hopelessness has no hope and can bring you down to the depths of despair. If you are feeling hopeless, three things can help you.
First, seek intervention. What I mean by intervention is to see your doctor, find out if you have a chemical imbalance or a medical problem, and then listen to your doctor's advice, which includes taking medications if necessary. Medicine is so critical and can help, but you don't want to be on them forever, so with the advice and medications, the next step can help you from being on meds too long.
Second, change your focus, which is changing your mind. Every human has a habitual way of thinking, and usually, when someone is depressed and hopeless, they tend to focus on what they do not have, are not, and how they cannot be as good as others. This, my friend, is a mindset backed by years of solid neuro-pathways, which is how our brain snares us with things we do not want (I'll save that topic for another post).
The best ways to change focus and habitual ways of thinking are writing in a journal, meditating, centering your thoughts, and telling a different story. The first and only things a hopeless person ought to journal about are love and gratitude. This practice is most effective first thing in the morning and every day for at least a year, which can only take about one minute of your day.
Meditation quiets the mind, helps us listen to the unhealthy thoughts that we ramble in our minds, and allows us to change these thoughts because of our awareness. A centering idea is a small, loving, and kind sentence that we can choose, which will help take charge of unhealthy, negative thoughts and feelings. Finally, telling a different story from the sad one we tell over and over every day will remove our focus from sadness.
Those are not easy things to hear. I know and understand that individuals with hopelessness are tired of people giving them advice to improve. I'm not giving anyone advice. I am discussing ways a person can choose to move towards hope. No one does anything they don't really want to. People may say they do things they don't want to do all the time. But if they really didn't want to, they wouldn't. Everyone has a choice; they choose to avoid consequences more than they decide to do something they don't want to.
The third and final thing that anyone can do when they are desperately hopeless is to forget him or herself. How in the heck does someone forget his or herself? That is easy; think of, and help another. Ways we can help another are; to call someone and listen to them, I mean really listen to them. Buy and write a little note in a "thinking of you" friend card, visit someone who needs a visit, and/or buy a small gift, bring or send it to someone who needs lifting. If you have ever done any of these things, you know, as well as I know, that it will help you feel better than you do.
Also, a significant fact here is if you do these things, which is serving the Lord, you will, without a doubt, learn what perfect love is. You may not realize perfect love overnight, but if you live your life like this, you will learn and know it.
The third and final thing that anyone can do when they are desperately hopeless is to forget him or herself. How in the heck does someone forget his or herself? That is easy; think of, and help another. Ways we can help another are; to call someone and listen to them, I mean really listen to them. Buy and write a little note in a "thinking of you" friend card, visit someone who needs a visit, and/or buy a small gift, bring or send it to someone who needs lifting. If you have ever done any of these things, you know, as well as I know, that it will help you feel better than you do.
Also, a significant fact here is if you do these things, which is serving the Lord, you will, without a doubt, learn what perfect love is. You may not realize perfect love overnight, but if you live your life like this, you will learn and know it.
TRUE STORY!!!
Okay, those are the three things you can do to overcome hopelessness, BUT!!! That is a big BUT! But what if you cannot bring yourself to do any of these things? What next?
This is the thing about not being able to get yourself to do anything for yourself; first of all, if you do not or will not do anything for yourself, it is my humble opinion that you do not believe that you deserve to be happy, or worthy of anything for that matter. Besides the chemical imbalance or medical problem that one may have, the other thing brewing is low, low, low self-worth, and is at the very heart of hopelessness and not being able to do things for the self.
The only way I know how to lift someone's self-worth is by talking to them in person, and since I cannot do that with you, this is what I can type.
You are so very important. You are a child of God, you have a spirit inside of you, and your Heavenly Father loves you so very, very much.
Okay, those are the three things you can do to overcome hopelessness, BUT!!! That is a big BUT! But what if you cannot bring yourself to do any of these things? What next?
This is the thing about not being able to get yourself to do anything for yourself; first of all, if you do not or will not do anything for yourself, it is my humble opinion that you do not believe that you deserve to be happy, or worthy of anything for that matter. Besides the chemical imbalance or medical problem that one may have, the other thing brewing is low, low, low self-worth, and is at the very heart of hopelessness and not being able to do things for the self.
The only way I know how to lift someone's self-worth is by talking to them in person, and since I cannot do that with you, this is what I can type.
You are so very important. You are a child of God, you have a spirit inside of you, and your Heavenly Father loves you so very, very much.
There is more to this life than looking good or bad, owning things or not, having money or not, and having many people love or hate you. There is a purpose to live, and your purpose right now is to overcome whatever is keeping you from joy, and you can do it.
With God, anything is possible, so turn to God. Read your scriptures daily, and talk to Him like He is your best friend because He is.
God is the only one who is always there for you, and if you cannot overcome hopelessness, God is the only one who can help you out of it, especially if you do not see any other way. Pray to Him, and pray often.
God is the only one who is always there for you, and if you cannot overcome hopelessness, God is the only one who can help you out of it, especially if you do not see any other way. Pray to Him, and pray often.
If you don't believe in yourself, believe in God!
Well, that's what I have about overcoming hopelessness. I pray with all my heart and soul this helps you, even if just a little bit, if you are feeling hopeless.
I love you, I honestly do, because I know what love is, where it comes from, where you and I come from, and who you and I are.
Have hope, my friend; know your worth and that you are worthy of happiness and hope. You are worthy of the best that there is.
Okee dokee pokee?
Speak soon...
Elizabeth Stanfill
Well, that's what I have about overcoming hopelessness. I pray with all my heart and soul this helps you, even if just a little bit, if you are feeling hopeless.
I love you, I honestly do, because I know what love is, where it comes from, where you and I come from, and who you and I are.
Have hope, my friend; know your worth and that you are worthy of happiness and hope. You are worthy of the best that there is.
Okee dokee pokee?
Speak soon...
Elizabeth Stanfill
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