What have you been working and waiting for, for a long time?

Are you still unsure about how it will turn out?

As humans we desire for our relationships to be meaningful and fulfilling. When things become discouraging and difficult we usually fall somewhere between levels of hope demonstrated by The Little Engine that Could and the Eeyore Syndrome. Lack of hope is a risk factor for depression, suicide ideation, alcoholism, and even physical illness.

Hope is defined as an abiding trust manifest by patient perseverance, to expect with confidence, or to cherish a desire with anticipation. Hope can fight against powerlessness, frustration, anger, and pain that so many of us face. Did you know that level of Hope is the 2^nd most important factor in therapy being successful behind relationship with the therapist?

I decided to climb Mount Rainier with some friends, and as we arrived at the mountain, we could not even see it because there were so many clouds. As we began steep climbing with specialized gear, traversing glaciers, and doing river crossings it was sleeting sideways. The only vision I had was how far I could see through the fog. After a day of climbing, we arrived at the base camp. We decided to stay on the mountain an extra day because it was too unsafe to climb due to the weather. The last morning, we got up very early and set out to summit. I will never forget the morning that I climbed so high that I climbed above the storm clouds and I realized that: it is always sunny on top of the clouds. I had climbed to the sun when before there were only clouds, and the feeling to describe this experience was hope despite adversity.

Renowned researcher, Charles Snyder, has identified things you can do right now to instill hope.

1. Create a Vision—a visual image, verbal description, or mental representation that defines your goals. Make your goals well-defined, measurable, attainable so you know when you have arrived.
2. Pathways Thinking—this is thinking through all of the ways that you could get from where you are now to where you want to be. Be creative. Make Step-by-step sub-goals, identify supportive friends & family, and learn skills to be successful.
3. Agency Thinking—this is the motivational component or the perceived ability to use your collection of pathways in order to attain your desired goal. Reframe thinking by seeing difficulties as setbacks rather than failures, remember past successes, use positive self-talk, and do things that re-establish a sense of mastery.

Keep on climbing despite the sleet; there is sun on top of the clouds. If you or someone you know may need a guide up this steep mountain, at Swinton Counseling, hope awaits.