Keeping Hope

As we start a new year, after one filled with difficulties and challenges, it is a time we can look forward... to better times and most importantly, an end to the heartbreak too many families have faced. The loss of family, friends, and colleagues has taken a toll on us all, even if we haven’t experienced loss ourselves.

Keeping hope is not always an easy thing to do for everyone, or anyone, all the time. There is no formula or secret code that provides up with the ability to stay hopeful in every moment in every day. It sure would be easy if it were as simple as that, wouldn’t it? Even something as straightforward as a book or nowadays more likely a video or webinar we could sign up for online.

How we can stay hopeful

I don’t claim to know the answers about just how any one of us is successful at keeping hope alive. With success measured in so many ways, it is impossible to say what is the right amount of hope, or what is the right amount for anyone. There are those who would make claims to knowing and have the key for you to unlock the door to perpetual hopefulness. Faith is one of the most common ways that people find and maintain hope, and as we know, faith takes on many forms. Some are faith-based while others are based in belief systems that are unique in themselves, but most have at their center; a belief in something, without questioning. Believing in ourselves is not a selfish act and we do need to believe in self. Believe that we can affect our own future and maintain the hope that we have an important part to play in keeping hope, no matter what our belief system is.

Hope is not always easy to maintain 24/7 for any of us. We will always have doubts and questions, but that doesn’t mean we have them in the absence of hope alone. It is natural to have doubt from time to time, but not healthy to live in doubt at every turn. That kind of thing far too often leads to anxiety and fear, which again are natural in limited amounts, but not what we want to be so strong that they block out hope.

Hoping for treatment

The hope we have for our future health is one great example of how we can keep hope alive. More specifically, being hep C free is a big hope, and now attainable for us all as long as we don’t give up on what feels insurmountable. The hardest part for many of us is the difficulty in securing access to care and treatment. This is not insurmountable at all, if you keep hope and remain persistent, and seeking help as you may need.

My own hope is for you. I believe in you, and that you can do the things you need to do, so you too can be healthy and filled with hope for tomorrow and all the days after.