The previous lesson provided ideas for increasing the level of creativity you demonstrate in your life. That creativity can be useful when it seems like the whole world is conspiring against you. This lesson will delve into the strategies you can apply when all hope appears to be lost.

Whether it’s the end of a relationship or the inevitable foreclosure of a home, some circumstances are simply beyond saving. Some situations have to run their course, and other plans need to be made. But hopeless events don’t exclude the possibility of better days ahead. If you’re in a hopeless situation, letting go, learning, and moving on can be a great solution.

Hope Strategies Will Help

Try these strategies when it appears all is lost:

1. Let it go. If the outcome is inevitable, does obsessing over it ever help? This might feel like giving up, but how intelligent is it to continue with something that can’t possibly be won? Decide to let go and get on with the rest of your life.
2. Purge your emotions. Hopefully, you already know several healthy ways to make yourself feel better. Perhaps you feel better after a long exercise session. Others feel relief after a good cry. Maybe having dinner with a friend will boost your spirits. 
   • The key is to find a healthy solution. Drinking, drugs and spending money irresponsibly are a few examples of unhealthy alternatives. Choose wisely.
3. Try to learn something. In most cases, hopeless situations are at least partially the result of poor decisions. Think about how you contributed to the situation at hand. Did you ignore warning signs when you first started dating your partner? Did you take out a larger mortgage than you could afford? 
   • It’s common to repeat our mistakes. What can you learn to avoid a repeat performance in the future? Imagine how great your life would be if you only made each mistake once.
4. Enjoy yourself. Now might be the perfect time to visit your favorite restaurant, take a walk in the park, or see a movie with a friend. Just because life has thrown a curveball doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. Have a good laugh and forge ahead.
5. Keep up with your responsibilities. Most importantly, your family still need your love and attention. In addition, the bills still have to be paid. Avoid letting the other areas of your life suffer. 
6. Create a plan for the future. Looking forward to an interesting and exciting future may be the best way to move forward. If the future seems bleak, it’s hard to be happy. Allow yourself to be open to the possibilities and create a compelling future for yourself. Then take one small step towards making that future a reality.
7. Make a list of all the things that fill you with gratitude. There are likely many people in the world with far more challenging circumstances. It can be easy to forget this fact. If you think about it, you have lots of things going for you. Please make a list and add to it often.
8. Remember other situations in your life that seemed hopeless. Odds are you survived and ultimately came out on the other side more resilient and knowledgeable.

Hopeless situations happen. Not every situation is salvageable. Letting go and moving forward can be the best solution. Worrying has never changed the actual outcome of any situation. Allow yourself to enjoy life and create a future that keeps your eyes facing forward.

A Story of Hope

Looking forward, you’ll next learn how to foster belief in yourself, regardless of your current circumstances.

Here’s what you need to do today:

Read about the life and times of Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel. Here is a brief synopsis:

Your situation has more hope than you believe.