This comment was by Mike in reference to the post – False Hope: Is it Worse Than No Hope?
I’ve often been given false hope with mental health treatment, where a health practice has promised counseling, but it’s never materialized. Of course, like everybody, I’ve also experienced it in my personal life.
However, I feel I have also sometimes given false hope. Often when I’m excited by an idea, but later I get really depressed or stressed, or exhausted and don’t end up doing it, but someone is let down.
I think that’s why I’ve started saying “I don’t know yet” when people ask if I want to do something. It’s easy to say yes too much, or indeed to say no too much. I think saying “I don’t know yet”, gives us time to think and check if we have the three resources often required: time, energy, money (and possibly a desire to do something). If we haven’t got enough resource then we should decline, rather than let someone down. It’s hard to gauge, though, as life circumstance change, and so we can have lots of free time and say yes, only to be inundated later, and unable to fulfill the commitment.
Maybe I need to be more understanding of when people let me down, if I myself can do the same at times. It’s a difficult process to get right!
◊♦◊
Read More Comments of the Day
We are the only media company having a conversation about the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Want to comment? Please Read our commenting policy first.
Curious about what comments your writing would inspire?
We are too and we invite you to submit an article and find out.
◊♦◊
Would you like to help us shatter stereotypes about men?
Receive stories from The Good Men Project, delivered to your inbox daily or weekly.
Photo: GettyImages