Keep hope alive in 2025!
K eep hope alive in 2025 as the world approaches into a new year filled with opportunities and challenges, the idea of “keeping hope alive” remains as relevant as ever. It’s becoming clearer that Americans are at risk of losing all hope. Especially with the US election shifting back into a Republican administration. Here you are facing critical challenges in 2025 and many people are not sure who or what they should look for in the economy as they hope. A New Year can be both exciting, and scary. It massages feelings of joy, hope, and anticipation, presenting you with a fresh start, new opportunities, and an array of possibilities. On the other hand, many people struggle with feelings of anxiety, fear, and a sense of hopelessness due to dreams that have been unfilled in the past. People are not motivated any more these days by this slogan, “NEWYEAR, NEWYOU” people want more. But what you are failing to realize is that, in order to have more, you must first be more and do more. Do you believe hope is an inside-out job? Stephen King stated, “Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.”
Hope has always been an internal binding force for humanity, providing a guiding light in the darkest times. But what exactly is hope, and does it have enough power to transform your life? Hopefully continuing to read this article will help you to understand whether hope is a strategy or a false belief, its advantages and disadvantages, its true purpose, and how it can be measured. What Is Hope? Hope is the feeling of expectation and desire for a certain outcome or change to occur. It’s an emotional state that stimulates individuals to remain optimistic despite their many uncertainties. Hope is not passive; it often follows with action, resilience, and perseverance. It’s about believing in the possibility of a better tomorrow even when the present moment is offering defeat, and unlimited setbacks. Clinging to unrealistic hopes such as waiting for a problem to solve itself without any effort can lead to disappointment, frustration, or stagnation. However, genuine hope, grounded in reality and joined with action, is far from false; it’s a vital resource for facing life’s challenges.
Having hope in the face of oppression and suppression will seem hopeless. Only marginalized people will understand navigating a world that is throwing oppression and suppression situations at you on a daily basis. Which can be an exhausting and isolating journey. For those who confront systemic barriers face to face, balancing the fight for justice with the emotional vulnerability that hope demands is a unique and complex challenge. Often being told to “believe in hope,” individuals in this position may find themselves wrestling with the irony of striving for tangible change while being asked to embrace a force that feels intangible. One must stay persistent even when facing impossible obstacles. To stay hopeful, one must think strategically to overcome systemic barriers in a calculated and purposeful manner. Staying focused on your positive outcome will require having a strong belief to advocate for justice and fairness to drive actions and challenges for any community causing increased civic engagement, and authentic collaboration in times of crisis. The connections and initiatives formed through shared hope will provide proof of its influence.
Having hope can inspire leaders or elected officials to continue to stand up for your beliefs, and to become a reliable voice of courage, encouraging others to do the same. Having hope and constantly being pushed back against societal structures can lead to emotional and physical exhaustion. Most often speaking out often results in societal judgment or alienation from non believers. The need to project strength leaves little room for emotional release or vulnerability. You may question whether your efforts will bring about meaningful change, especially when faced with persistent barriers. While hope is often used as a source of comfort and strength, for someone facing ongoing oppression, it can feel both empowering and disheartening. The challenges with hope are being told to rely on hope which can feel dismissive or passive, particularly when direct action and effort are critical. Hope may seem like an illusion designed to pacify rather than provoke change. There is this distrust of optimism which is the reality of different experiences with suppression that may create doubt about the practical use of hope as a solution. The value of hope for the oppressed and suppressed despite these challenges, is that hope can offer valuable strength. It can provide the energy needed to continue striving for change, even when progress seems unattainable. Hope allows you to envision a better future, which can guide long-term planning and perseverance.
You should understand that hope is not enough to dismantle systemic barriers, it provides the emotional foundation necessary to sustain the fight for equality and justice. By redefining hope strategically, you can channel its power to transform not just your life but the world around you. While hope alone is not a strategy, it provides the emotional energy needed to plan and execute one. To keep hope alive in 2025, we must balance it with action, realism, and persistence. Hope offers everyone a chance to imagine a better future, endure today’s challenges, and inspire others. By nurturing hope within yourself and your communities, you can face the uncertainties of the new year with courage and determination. By making a choice to hope, you put yourself in control of how you react to your circumstances and how you’ll handle what comes next. Although it’s not so easy when going through bad things to maintain a hopeful disposition, always know that you can use hope to see things in a new way. Think of this Sherry Holliman stated “To HOPE is to HAVE!” You hope not because you are hopeless!
Sherry Holliman is a concerned citizen of Crittenden County and has some views on a variety of topics that she wants to share with her neighbors. She previously served on the Marion City Council.
Sherry Holliman
Community Commentary
