When we are depressed and life seems impossible to manage, we can become hopeless. Feeling hopeless is a feeling I know all to well. I spent years in my depression suffering from hopelessness. But every once in awhile I got a glimpse of what life could be like, and hope would inch back into my life. But having hope kept me stuck and depressed even longer.
Jim Carrey and Deepak Chopra have a philosophy about hope, they don’t believe in it. In fact hope is a tricky emotion that is rooted in fear. Many people turn to hope, when they want things to work out
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“I hope I get a job!” “I hope I meet the one soon.“ “I hope I lose weight!” “ I hope this works and I will finally be happy.” Have you been hoping your way into what you want?
As Deepok Chopra says, “Hope is desperate.” It is needy. It is a false pretense to getting what you want. Jim Carrey says, “Hope is a beggar.”
Hope is not a strategy. It keeps us on the outside of what we want. If you have been hoping your way into your future, you may be feeling hopeless. But good news, there is a better way. A faster way. A more brilliant way to get what you really want.
Drum roll please…by pass hope and go straight to FAITH!
Faith is a tricky thing because it’s not something tangible. We can’t put a measure on our faith – we just have it or we don’t. Many of us think we have it, but we mask it in hope.
It wasn’t until I bypassed hope and went to faith did I pull out of depression. I don’t believe in hope. Hope doesn’t change things. Faith does. Hope doesn’t save peoples lives. Faith does.
The moment I heard that one of my best friends was back in the hospital from post brain surgery complications I held my breath and fell into worst-case scenarios. My mind catapulted back in time replaying the last conversation I had with him. Would that be the last conversation with him ever?
I raced to the Neurosurgery unit. I was consumed with fear, but my friend, the one in the hospital, with IVs pumped into his body from all angles, was strangely peaceful. He had a smile on his face.
He looked at me and said, “It is out of my hands and I am at peace.” It was in that moment I understood what it meant to truly have faith. Faith is about knowing that there is a plan greater than yours. Most of us run around trying to control our outcome, as we carefully construct a version of our life we think will make us happy, but when times get tough we are thrown off guard. But we have a choice. We can hope things will get better, or we can believe things will get better.
Having faith is a belief system we can cultivate with practice. There are 3 simple steps you can take to pump up your inner faith muscles. Remember, faith is about believing in what you can’t see. The more confident you are in the big picture the easier it will be to align with faith. These 3 steps can help you have more faith.
1. Release Fear from the Past
Most often we have fears from the past replaying in the moment. This prevents us from having faith that things will work out the way we want them to. If you are having a hard time “faithing it until you make it,” ask yourself if you are focusing on the past. If so release your fear from the past by healing the scars from situations that keep coming up. Forgiveness will release the hurt and allow you to be present in the moment.
2. Faith it Till you Make it
Faith is about embracing the unknown but trusting it will work out in your favor. This can be a tall order if you are stuck in fear. Release your fear by turning to love. Love is light, inspiration and uplifting energy. If you align with what feels right vs. what feels wrong, you will be aligning with faith.
3. Ask the Universe for Guidance and Release
Don’t be afraid to ask the universe for guidance. Whether it be prayers, meditation, or journal writing, asking for what you want will allow it to come to you. Many folks spend their time focusing their attention on what they don’t want. This is not faith. This is fear. Faith is a trust in the future and knowing that all you desire is on its way to you.
When you ask for you what you want, it is like putting in your order with the universe. The secret is to ask, and then release. You don’t have to keep asking. Asking of the universe is a lot like going out to eat. You wouldn’t drive up to a fast food window and ask over and over for your order. You simply ask once, you put your order in and drive forward. You are confident your order was received and you will soon receive what you asked for.
The same is true for your dreams. When you ask, align with the confidence that your order has been received and move forward in your life with the trust all is in right order.
How about you? What have you done to align with faith in your life? As always I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Shannon,
I really identify with this post. One mantra that has helped me greatly (as per your #1!) is “Am I doing this from a place of FAITH or from a place of FEAR?” This makes me stop and really re-train my brain to think of the universe as a helpful place than a scary one 🙂 Thanks for this post!
Thank you Rae, great thought and add. Training your brain is key for healing, so glad you reiterated that. Thanks again for your comment. Shannon
How can you have faith in the universe? That makes no sense to me. I stopped hoping long ago. I exist, make the best of good spots in time, and that’s it. I can’t find reasons for anything. Yes, I’m clinically depressed. I accept that. All of the press over Robin Williams makes me smile. He had enough. That’s all. I dont look for answers anymore. My life is good by most standards. Successful kids, good husband, retired and able to survive in my art. I just don’t see the sense in it all. Life makes no sense to me. Therapy, yes, years of it. Medicine yes. Love, yes. Supportive family, yes. À good life. Just empty.
I wish mantras were the answer. How I wish it was that easy.
Joan, You are doing a good job. Thank you for sharing and reaching out. It is never just one thing but a collection and combination of each step together. Thank you for coming and visiting my site. Each piece falls into life like a puzzle along our journey. keep going, thank you for reaching out. Shannon
I loved this and hit home. I believe I have a lot of Faith but catch myself hoping alot. I was recently left by my fiance …some say it was cold feet but he is stuck in this I just want to be by myself mood. And I catch myself hoping for our family to be brought back together. But I have to really just turn it over to my Faith and believe what is meant to be will happen. Just need to set my wish out there and keep moving forward right??