HOPE: –

Hope is defined by psychologists as the conviction that one can find the means to attain one’s goal and develop the motivation necessary to do so. It is known that hope improves student’s test results and athlete’s performance, makes illness and agonizing debility more bearable, and makes pain itself (from burns, arthritis, spinal injuries, or blindness, for example) easier to tolerate. It has been demonstrated for instance, using a method to measure resistance to pain, that people who show a marked tendency to be hopeful are able to tolerate contact with a very cold surface twice as long as those who don’t.

The optimist does not give up quickly. Strengthened by the hope of success, one perseveres and succeeds more often than the pessimist, especially in adverse conditions. The pessimist has a tendency to back away from difficulties, sink into resignation or turn to temporary distractions that will not solve one’s prob- lems. The pessimist will demonstrate little resolve, for one doubts everything and everyone, foresees the failure of every undertaking (instead of potential for growth, development and fruitfulness), and sees every person as a schemer and an egoist. One sees a threat in every new thing and anticipates catastrophe. In a word; when hearing a door creak, the optimist thinks it’s opening and the pessimist thinks it’s closing.

Time of Happiness: –

At the time of happiness, one gets completely involved in an activity for its own sake. There is a sense of transcending the Ego and Time. Every action, movement, thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing Jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you are using your skills to the utmost.

Consider walking just for the pleasure of walking, freely and firmly, without hurrying. We are present in every step. When we wish to speak, we stop walking and lend all our attention to the person, to speaking and to listening. Stop, look around, and see how wonderful life is: the trees, the white clouds, and the infinite sky. Listen to the birds, delight in the light breeze. Let us walk as free people and feel our steps growing lighter as we walk. Let us appreciate every step we take.

As satisfying as it may be to cultivate the experience of flow, it is still only a tool. If it is to make any long-term improvement in our quality of life it must be filled with human qualities, such as altruism and wisdom. The value of the flow depends on the motivation coloring the mind. It can be negative in case of the burglar, neutral of mundane activity- ironing clothes say – or positive when we are involved in a rescue operation or meditating on compassion. That experience is a source of inner peace and openness to the world and others.