Should you ever give up hope in life?

Answer 1

There's so many problems and so much suffering in the world, it feels so easy to just give up hope. Every day, people of all ages must decide between keeping hope alive.... or just giving up. From dads and moms looking for jobs... to teenagers dealing with poor grades or other problems... to every day people struggling with different problems, every person deals with stress, obstacles, strife, problems, difficulties....

But through it all, each person has "hope"-- even a glimmer-- that life can and does get better, that "the next time" something better will happen, and that if they keep trying, hope does win. Even when things seem the hardest, life changes. Even when it seems "every" bad thing gets in the way, life changes. Even when things feel the worst, life--and feelings--do change.

Having hope and optimism is partly an acceptance that life does throw obstacles, but having the commitment and will to keep going regardless of how bad things seem today, because you know that tomorrow always changes. Bad doesn't stay bad for forever.

Hope is like searching a beach for beautiful sea shells. As you walk along, yeah there's a clump of sea weed; there's a worthless rock; there's somebody's garbage in your way; and dang the surf is cold when it hits your feet.... but you keep going, looking for the "treasures" you see in your mind and that you "hope" to find. So you keep walking, picking your way around or through the other stuff---- and there, half buried in sand, there's a nice unbroken shell. You look left, right, ahead for the next one.... and yes, there's another one. You see some more, but it's where the cold water tide comes in. Your desire for more shells overrides the cold water, and there, you find a whole bunch!

The thing about hope, also, is that it is renewable. Today you may only find 5 shells, but you come back tomorrow with hope you'll find some more. Your hard work pays off, a little each day, until you have a big collection of usual and unusual shells.

A shell example may seem silly, but if you subsitute any action, it is the same. You devote time to your hope, giving yourself to that hope a little every day, and each day you celebrate your successes. Whether it is going to school, or holding a job, or raising a family, each day means devoting yourself to a hope and then doing actions to achieve that hope.

The alternative, which is simply giving up, robs yourself of the effort *you* deserve to put yourself and your time completely to your hope. Even if you have to search hard some days, or work hard on many days, keeping hope is the driving force of life. To simply give up means you've given up on yourself and without *you(, your life will just wither away. No one else can dream your dreams; no one else has hopes exactly life yours even if theirs are similar; and no one can achieve your hopes the same way as you can achieve them.

Answer 2

It is important to hold onto hope as it can provide motivation, resilience, and perspective during challenging times. While it's natural to feel discouraged at times, seeking support from loved ones, practicing self-care, and focusing on small positive steps can help maintain hope. Remember that difficult moments are temporary and things can improve with time and effort.