So many times, people come for therapy to regain hope for the future.  Sometimes it’s because of grief.  Other times, it because of changes in their lives.  Whether it’s losing a job, losing a loved one, or a loss of dream, they come to try to regroup and manage their goals.  Life can throw so many curves, as we try to make it day to day.  Losing hope because of difficult situations is easy to do.  Finding that hope again is harder when things just seem overwhelming.   Even when things get hard, or seem hopeless, don’t lose hope.  Stay focused on your goals and keep reaching for the stars.

                Everyone gets depressed at different times in life, and that depression changes thought patterns and activities.  Sometimes that starts a spiral and depression is a natural result.  Most people can work through and manage that low time without intervention, but at other times we struggle to keep away from the lows that come with that struggle.  Those struggles spark different emotions, that lead to depression, and with depression can come feelings of hopelessness.  It’s hard to see a future when you can’t make sense of the present, but things change.  Losing a loved one means you need to think about how to move on without them.  Losing a job, means you have an opportunity to find a better one, with more satisfaction and possibilities.  Depression can keep you from finding that new path.

                Let’s face it, we often have plans.  We plan to travel or be with family.  We plan to have an amazing career and wonderful friends.   We plan to own a wonderful home someday or at least live in a place that is dynamic.  Sometimes, however, those plans don’t come true.  We lose the perfect job, or the perfect house.   I know that my dreams have changed over the years, but my goal of being happy has stayed strong.  Whatever your dreams, remember that sometimes dreams change, maybe for the better. 

                With our current issues around the world, it’s even easier to lose hope.  I was reading an article recently that talked about how America is dying, but I also read an article about how to plan for a recession and stay as stable as you can to get through current events.  Whatever news you listen to, remember that listening to the news is only part of the story.  You have to evaluate the information and understand how the past and present can shape the future.  The world has experienced so many setbacks, from wars to financial crisis, and recovered.  The world survived dictators, and pandemics.  America continues to grow, and our young adults continue to carry on, shaping and fighting for the country to build on ambition and dreams.

                Sometimes, seeing the hope in the upcoming generation helps me remember there is always hope.    I think about all the events over my lifetime, and all the things my kids will see.  I think about my patients, and the events and struggles that they have been through.  When a patient finds hope again, it warms to my heart.  It helps me remember never to give up, because many of my patients have been through so much more than I will ever see.  So what does all this mean?  Find your hope, no matter what is happening in your life.  Stay hopeful in spite of disappointment and sadness, and never lose site of your dreams, it’s all part of being happy, for life.