The Grapes of Hope: how to plant, pick, and keep them
Hope is a powerful force. It’s often the last thread that holds people from falling apart, it keeps people going when no end seems in sight, and it keeps people living when they think they have nothing.
Hope is much more different than wishful thinking. It’s wholehearted and it is unbreakable.
So how do you plant the grape seeds of hope, pick and enjoy the grapes, and keep them on your plate?
Well, it takes a lot of work:
Planting & growing hope
The first thing you need to do is prepare the land which your hope grapes will grow from. This land is your mind.
One of the most common ways to prepare your land is to look at others who have faced similar or worse obstacles than you and have triumphed over them.
Some recommendations are the life stories of Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, Elie Wiesel, Chris Gardner, Randy Pausch, and Nelson Mandela.
The stories of these individuals and others like them, will get your mind thinking and realizing the true power of hope.
Another crucial preparation for the soil in your mind is to NOT remove the tough spots; the rocks, pebbles, and the sand.
Grapes grow best in tough soil that is full of sand and rocks. The grapes of hope will also grow stronger from difficulties.
You never want to erase the past from your mind, even the most difficult times you’ve been through. The strength of your hope is measured during them and you can draw new hope for the present when thinking to the past.
When looking to the tough spots of yesterday, identify the biggest obstacles you’ve ever faced and think of:
- How you overcame the obstacle.
- What kept you happy during the time.
- How long you had to endure the obstacle.
- The positive effects that came from the obstacle.
- Who helped you through the time.
- How your current obstacle(s) compares with your past ones, is it harder or easier?
As you continue to read the past of others and reflect on your own, hope will begin to creep in your mind.
But now it’s time to get your hopes up.
One of the worst things to say is, “don’t get your hopes up.” People mean well when they say it. They want to protect others from the tough feelings that one experiences when something isn’t fulfilled. However, when all someone has to live on is hope, their crushing their driving force and their dreams.
I’m sure you’ve had someone do this to you. Perhaps they didn’t directly say, “don’t get your hopes up,” but they expressed their doubts.
So the most important tip regarding getting your hopes up is knowing how to recover when something doesn’t pan out.
- Remind yourself that everything happens for a reason
I’m a firm believer in this; that every obstacle and unfulfilled dream has a lesson to teach or something important to give us.
- Tell yourself it wasn’t meant to be this time
But that you WILL achieve what it is you desire. It’s not a question of “if” but “when.”
- Change your approach
When something doesn’t happen when your hopes are up don’t abandoned the dream. What should change, is your approach and your plan.
Now that your hope grapes are beginning to grow stronger, it’s time to pick them from the vine and learn how to keep them on your plate.
Picking and keep your hope grapes
Picking your hope grapes is not as literal as it sounds. It means how you’re going to harness the power of grapes of hope to achieve what you desire.
The greatest friend to hope is action. When someone hopes to achieve something but doesn’t take any steps towards it, yet they expect it to fall in their lap. That isn’t hope, it is more of a wish.
Hope is fuel for action. When you have no motivation left in you, hope remains and reminds you of what you desire.
Action needs to be taken EVERY DAY. There are seriously NO excuses. It can even be a step that takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Along with taking action every day, you must think about your dreams EVERY DAY. It keeps your hope fed and prevents your mind from wandering.
Keeping hope on your plate doesn’t mean your breakfast plate; it means your plate of life. People seem to lose hope most when “reality” kicks in and the grapes fall from their plate because there’s no room.
But when “reality” hits it’s the time we need hope the most. Hope is hardly needed when things are running smoothly.
An easy thing you can do to keep hope is to again look at others. This time, compare your biggest obstacles to those in worse situations.
I doubt that the wall you’re facing is anything compared to the fences of the concentration camps Elie Wiesel had to face.
Your hope will grow stronger when you realize your obstacles are actually very small.
Another way to fight back “reality” is to have a little dose of denial. Refuse to accept the truth from time to time. There’s a great quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes that says, “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” Once you’ve got a strong desire for a goal, you shouldn’t rest until it is achieved.
Always remind yourself of the times you and others gave up too early. So often people take 99 steps toward a goal and then quit before taking the 100th step. And if they had taken that 100th step things would have gotten a lot brighter.
Be sure to also not spread your hope too thin. Reserve it for your biggest and most important dreams. Focus hope’s energy and it will benefit you so much more.
Also remember: When all you have is hope, you have everything.
Have any other tips for planting, growing, picking, or keeping the grapes of hope? Please share in the comments below.
Related articles:
- The art of getting off your ass
- 10 ways to fail successfully
- A Personal Constitution: The Way To Make Your Resolutions Stick
Photo by John-Morgan
2 Responses to “The Grapes of Hope: how to plant, pick, and keep them”
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“Action needs to be taken EVERY DAY. There are seriously NO excuses. It can even be a step that takes 5 to 10 minutes.”
Yep, something I have to remember to do.
Ryan
Action is the most important aspect of achieving goals. Planning is great but nothing happens until you take a step.
-Andrew