This is 11-year old me (in case you cannot recognize me through the feathered bangs). I am from Edmonton and am a huge Oilers fan (hockey people…..hockey). So, you can imagine how excited my 11-year old self is to see the Oilers so close to winning the Stanley Cup. YES!!!
We all know that sports, motivation and Motivational Interviewing (MI) go together. But this blog is not about that. It’s about the power of relationships, hope, and hockey’s role in that.
When I was eleven, I volunteered at a nursing home and spent time with an elderly woman who also shared my love and passion for the Oilers (specifically, no. 18 Craig Simpson because we both had little crushes on him. I mean….check him out! Really!)
We clipped out pictures of Simpson (and other players of course) from newspapers and magazines and glued them in our scrapbooks. We talked about hockey and kept track of players’ statistics. I really enjoyed spending time with her. She became my friend. She taught me to believe. Believe in the things that are important to me, like the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup for example. And, when things look bad, never stop hoping for a different outcome. Because hope matters!
Hope and Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Bill Miller, one of the founders of Motivational Interviewing (MI) is writing a book on hope and at a conference a few years ago, he presented eight ways of hoping that have become evident in research. The eight ways of hoping are:
Desire – It matters what you hope for yourself or others.
Probability – What are the chances? We often want, and listen to, the facts.
Possibility – To perceive what could be. It is important to see possibilities in others, oneself, and situations. Think of the placebo- effect.
Optimism – Can be seen as a personality trait. Optimists expect that in life, things will usually turn out for the best, eventually.
Trust – In MI, we establish a level of trust when we engage. Trust wisely; it is contagious.
Meaning and Purpose – What is the big picture? In spite of what is happening in life, one can find meaning in it and perhaps accept it.
Perseverance – An action demonstrated by the refusal to give in to hopelessness. An effort is not a “failure” but a “try”.
Hope beyond hope – When everything else is gone, you can always choose to continue hoping.
I not only HOPE that the Oilers win, I BELIEVE that they can!!! Let’s go Oilers!
Good Luck!
Jennifer
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