Hope Is A Verb In The Abundance Mindset Ecosystem.

In many belief systems, Hope is among the "top values" of humanity. It has been depicted in pop-culture over and over. Hope, has become one of the most-used words to show sympathy and give comfort. Hope, importantly, is a verb, which is oftentimes neglected. Active Hope, as an integral part of the Abundance Mindset, is what we need today.

by Zhou Fang, Intersectional Group

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Hope Is Not Wishful Thinking.

"I hope you have a good day." " I hope it goes well." "I hope things get better." These go-to phases we use regularly are well-intended, accessible way to tell people that "I care and I am thinking of you." Does it require empathy? Yes. Does it require action? Not necessarily.

Active Hope, as the term indicates, requires action. I watched and re-watched Schitt's Creek (RIP Catherine O'Hara) over the years. David and Stevie (2 lead characters) would say, "Best wishes." and "Warmest regards." to each other as a lighthearted way to show love for each other as friends. While well-meant, it shows up in real-life as surface-level support and care. It shows goodwill, not necessarily true allyship or meaningful support. If that's all you can conjure with the energy you currently have, that is still good.

If, however, you have the capacity to take your allyship and care to the next level, practice Active Hope. It doesn't have to be grand. It can be seemingly small yet impactful actions that actually make a difference. You see trash in your neighborhood and you decide to designate a weekend morning to pick it up? You put out water on a hot day for animals to drink? You sign a petition to strengthen climate justice efforts? You show up at a community event that advocates for more infrastructure and public transit? You put shelf-stable items at the neighborhood pantry for houseless neighbors to pick up? You wave down traffic for an elder to cross the streets safely? You volunteer at an education non-profit that supports youth in STEM? ALL THAT is Active Hope.

Hope Is Not Simplified Manifestation.

With the assistance of social media, "manifestation" became a way to be "hopeful" or even "successful". With a light dosage of woo, "let me manifest that" has become many people's go-to when trying to bring hope into life.

Real manifestation, to me, is similar to "how to look effortlessly chic." Behind that chic look is a lot of planning, experimenting, and executing, or, efforts. Simply saying, "I am going to manifest a better future" is not going to bring real hope. At best, it's next-level wishful thinking.

To manifest meaningfully, we must practice active hope. Looking for a promotion? Document carefully and build your confidence. Planning to get into a leadership role? Study and work with a coach to hone your skills. Getting emotional when seeing our environment suffer? Speak up and join a volunteer team to educate the public. Witnessing injustice and wanting to do something? Call your representatives' offices and even donate to organizations that focus on justice. Manifestation without action is not leading us to progress and advancement. Successful manifestation requires intentionality and efforts.

Hope Is Not Necessarily Religious, But Can Be Spiritual.

Even the most hopeful person in the world can get sad, tired, or frustrated. The practice of active hope consumes you. The best athletes train hard and recover thoroughly. When life wears on you, to remain hopeful, we need to retreat from time to time.

From my own experience, when I start to feel jaded or even cynical, I turn to spirituality. For some folks, that refuge may be religion. Here, I am speaking more broadly about spirituality. For me, the wisdom of the spirits reside in a tree, a forest, a flower, a leaf, a bee, a river, a bird, a mountain, an ocean, in air, in the sky, in the stars, in the earth. Mother nature reminds us how alive our planet is, even after going through so many disasters, violence, heartbreaks... Her gentle yet fierce presence is the best reminder of Active Hope.

Hope Lives On.

Most of us won't see the progress we wish to see in our lifetime. Yet, as so many role models have shown us (think, Jane Goodall, RGB, James Baldwin, MLK Jr, etc.), we practice Active Hope not because we believe we will see it in our lifetime, because we know progress and justice take a long time to achieve. Therefore, we pave the way and build the foundation for the future generations to take over. We believe that a better future will come true for certain generations, and we keep going because of that belief. And that better future, my friend, is sweet, sweet abundance.

with tenderness and love,

Zhou Fang