The Power of Hope and Faith in Uncertain Times

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These are unarguably challenging times. Stress is quite high in the U.S. and worldwide. In stressful times, many individuals find solace in spirituality or religion while others search for potential answers in psychology, philosophy, astronomy, physics, or other disciplines. Whatever discipline one finds answers in, it is comforting to believe that there is a bigger reason for all that is happening in the world and that we are not alone.

Two concepts may assist us in extremely challenging times: hope and faith.

What’s Hope Got to Do With It?

Plenty, as it turns out. When people give up hope, they may be more vulnerable to negative emotions, such as being frozen in depression or fear. However, hope may be a psychological strength, providing a protective factor in mental health and wellbeing, including distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In layman’s terms, it may offer potential light at the end of the tunnel, nudging us towards a more positive state of mind rather than dwelling in the negative. In fact, researchers have examined interventions that have the potential for increasing an individual’s level of hope with encouraging results, but this area needs to be further explored and studied.

Investing in Hope: A Non-Financial Investment

Here’s a suggestion that may ring true for many of you: Invest in hope. It truly is an investment, but a human one rather than a financial one. Perhaps you believe it’s safer not to raise your hopes for fear of being disappointed, but that’s no way for us to live. Even that tiny sparkle of hope can keep us going through the stressful times. Just as financial investments may take time, allowing your hope to percolate and grow can potentially pay off with increased well-being and peace.

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As individuals, there are ways we can invest in hope as a form of self-care. Hope investment may mean different actions for different people. For certain individuals, it may involve finding hope in their community and social support, while for others it may be about trying to reduce their stress and utilizing stress management tips. Even saying what we’re grateful for each day can help bring us comfort. Still others may even be considering a move abroad to provide them more hope for their future. The commonality between all of these ideas is that investing in hope means taking an action step of some type to move one’s life in a more positive direction.

At a time of tremendous challenges in the world, though, we may feel like we are chasing a carrot of hope dangling just beyond our grasp. Many people need to believe there’s a bigger plan, that some positive unseen force has an eagle-eye view of what’s happening on earth, and that we will be okay.

What’s Faith Got to Do With It?

Faith, in whatever form that takes and in whatever way it resonates for you, is a powerful force. Faith in the form of spiritual or philosophical practices, such as Buddhism, may contribute to psychological resilience, providing a well-being protective factor in challenging times. However, faith is not limited to spiritual, religious, or even philosophical practices. Common misconceptions about faith abound, with many individuals strictly linking it in their minds to organized religion, including fundamentalist religions.

Faith is not blindly being in a state of denial and assuming we can passively allow social and political forces to control our lives. Faith is not about accepting the status quo—far from it, in fact. It’s about knowing deep inside ourselves that, despite appearances seemingly to the contrary, there are many good people in the world. At its core, faith involves a belief in love and knowing in our hearts that we can all make a positive difference in some way, if we so choose.

We all need that reminder sometimes. So, here’s your reminder: Invest in some hope, maybe even invest in some faith. If you look around you hard enough, you’ll find that reason. Don’t give up.