Finding Hope in the Face of Climate Change and More
It can be hard to be optimistic in the face of trouble.
It’s the time of year we often consider the year coming to a close and what the next year has in store. We may think about goals or intentions; what are our dreams for the next year?
Hope is the answer.
This year, I felt the need to reinforce my hope in the face of plenty of bad news. It’s hard to make plans when events seem so uncertain, and while I’m a big believer in living in the present, it just feels more challenging right now.
Last week, browsing the new arrivals at my local library, a title caught my eye. The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, co-authored by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams.
As an environmentalist and climate-change activist, it would seem impossible that Goodall can still have hope, yet she does. I admit that the only other reaction is despair or, at best, apathy, so I checked out the book.
But how do we put hope into practice?
This book is easy to read yet profound. Abrams interviewed Goodall and formatted the results into a glimpse into the mind and world of this indomitable woman, now nearly 90.
In psychology, hope is a cognitive practice that involves setting goals and working toward them with purpose. I am excited to learn there is now an actual science of hope, and universities are dedicating entire departments to studying hope and teaching methods to put it into action.
T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University is the home of The Center for the Advanced Study and Practice of Hope, known as The Hope Center.
Hopeful people can set goals, identify ways to reach their goals, and feel they can do the work to achieve those goals.— Crystal Bryce, associate director of research in the Hope Center.
The goal of the Hope Center is to support researchers and community partners using a strength-based, goal-oriented, cognitive-motivational approach to study and practice hope. Unlike wishful thinking or optimism, those working at the Center believe there are teachable skills, especially valuable when instilled in childhood, that create hope.
Chan Hellman, the co-author with Casey Gwinn of Hope Rising: How the Science of Hope can Change Your Life, is the director of the Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma at Tulsa.
The website sums up the basics of the program:
Hope believes that the future will be better, and you have the power to make it so. Hope is based on three main ideas: desirable goals, pathways to goal attainment, and agency (willpower) to pursue those pathways.
Hellman believes hope is the engine that powers resiliency. He and other researchers realize that trauma, abuse, and adversity make it harder to have hope, but not make it impossible. On the contrary, prior adversity makes learning hope more critical.
We can tell ourselves, children, and the world: Hope is the belief that your future can be better than your past, and you play a role in making it so.
Bonafide methods create The Hope Cycle.
Hope science identifies four essential components as the hope cycle:
We need attainable goals
and realistic pathways to reach those goals.
We need the confidence we can achieve these goals,
and the support to help us overcome obstacles on the way.
Those with high levels of hope showed improved coping skills and reduced reaction to stress. Research tells us that hope is a leading indicator of success in relationships, academics, career, and business. On an exciting note, hope also seems to affect our health.
The resource section at the end of The Book of Hope referenced a study from 30 years ago. Briefly, study subjects who were asked this question: “Are you hopeful about the future?” Those who answered “no” were classified as hope-less. Within three years, 29% of the hope-less died compared to only 11% of the respondents who responded they had hope.
Hope can be measured, taught, and cultivated.
We can teach the science of hope to children and adults. In her book, Jane Goodall ascribes her hope to these four forces:
The Amazing Human Intellect
The Resilience of Nature
The Power of Young People
The Indomitable Human Spirit
How can those who struggle with eco-grief find hope? Dr. Goodall says taking action is an effective antidote to despair. She formed Roots & Shoots, an organization to work with young people worldwide. Its goal is to empower youth to create needed change.
Indeed, I believe our greatest hope is with younger generations. They need no convincing of our planet’s peril. They do need hope, encouragement, and resources, though.
If you need a boost in hopefulness, do read this inspiring book.
I’ll leave you with Goodall’s words,
Without meaning, life is empty, and day will follow month, and year will follow mindless year. — The Book of Hope, page 169
If you find yourself with time, money, or experience to contribute, consider working with youth. There are plenty of worthwhile conservation organizations and other groups working with children that can use our help.
Places we can help:
Roots and Shoots
Americorp Foster Grandparents Program
4-H
United Way
Your local library
I feel better when I’m working towards solutions, and Goodall’s book reinforced my plan to continue working with the Texas Master Naturalist youth programs.
What helps you feel encouraged and gives you hope for the future? Any ideas for the rest of us? Please share your thoughts.