Hopelessness can be rooted in a variety of feelings. Identifying which emotion you’re experiencing helps pinpoint the solution. PsychCentral.com breaks them out into different categories:
Feeling alienated, forsaken or uninspired can be defused by looking objectively at yourself to see if what you’re feeling actually reflects what’s going on in reality.
Powerlessness, oppression and limitedness can be countered by labeling the action and not labeling the person or yourself with what has happened.
Doom, captivity or helplessness is best combatted with not “jumping to conclusions” and using facts to help steer emotions.
Hopelessness is best laid out and countered with facts, objectively analyzing and looking at it piece by piece. Writing, drawing or explaining the feeling or situation out loud helps bring clarity. Clarity will help establish a plan and clears out extra mental clutter to better analyze and create a resolution.
Writing in a gratitude journal is a great way to notice the small positive details in life. Even writing a small note on your phone or on scratch paper can help bring good feelings in dreary situations. This especially helps if hopelessness tends to be a constant. It helps bring to surface ideas, thoughts or feelings that might be hidden under the heavier feeling. There are several ways to be grateful throughout your day. Unlike writing in a diary or planner, gratitude journaling focuses on what you are grateful for. Positivepsychology.com breaks down the differences:
- Filling out a planner focuses on what you need to do
- A diary’s focus is on what happened in your day
- Notebooks are for taking notes about the present, or future events, to help you remember important points.
Unlike these tools, gratitude journaling is focused only on being conscious of the positive things in your life. Learn more
Tips for managing other feelings during the holidays
Our campaign home page has tips for other negative emotions or feelings that are common around the holiday season.