After years of traumas and losses in life, something can happen to hope. It may dwindle or blip off the radar. When we lose hope, that’s a rough place to be, because it can lead to depression. Before we talk about how to ignite hope, we need to stop and think about how we got to this point of losing hope. Where on our journey exactly did that happen? As you look back, was it a culmination of traumas and losses or can you identify a particular trauma or loss that really took you down?
Sometimes we have to look back in order to go forward. I’m not saying look back and wallow in a bunch of bad stuff, because that alone will make you feel bad. Just look back long enough to pinpoint some things to help yourself move forward. For instance, you could make a timeline of your life from birth up to this point. On it you would identify the traumas and losses that occurred. Doing a timeline helps us think more clearly about what happened and when. It also helps us remember the events that we may have forgotten because bigger traumas and losses came along.
Doing this simple exercise might cause you to say, wow, how did I even make it this far in life? Or, it may make you realize that you really haven’t had as many traumatic events or losses as other people. Either way, this exercise is a good tool for igniting hope and gratitude, because it can open our eyes and make us grateful for what we have and for how God has divinely brought us to this point in our lives. And yes, you guessed it. One good way to ignite hope is making a point to take time each day and make a list of things you are grateful for. It’s a great way to ignite hope and to keep that flame of hope burning every day!
Leave me a comment and let me know one way you’ve found to ignite your hope. I look forward to hearing from you!