It was approximately 6:20am on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. Bobbi was driving both of us to her place of employment. I needed the car for a dental appointment later that morning and grocery shopping after that. I had to pick her up at 3:00pm later that day. As our car sped past a billboard, I read the slogan on it. Something about “Fear is contagious so is hope” made me smile in the passenger side of the car.
Do you struggle to see purpose in your daily routine? Hope is something you can produce. It doesn’t come out of any outside source. You must intentionally nurture hope in your life and for those around you. Hope can move your life in a promising new direction. You can overcome fear as you hold onto hope. Follow the steps below to see more potential I for acquiring hope n your everyday life.
1.
Be kind to yourself: Think about what
you need most, and then do it. Is it a cup of tea, a brisk walk, some downtime,
quiet music, a little rest, or reading inspirational literature? Whatever it is
you can grant yourself permission to do it even for just a few minutes. If you're
at work, take a "care-break" where you take care of you for a brief
moment. These small moments accumulate and transform the texture of our days.
2.
Create a daily five minute silence ritual: Meditate and pray.
These practices can be both nurturing and healing. This may be the one time of
day when you feel connected to your own soul. Don't skip this step because it
can be powerful.
3.
Express love plainly: Hugs, words, notes,
acts of kindness: you need to be generous with all of them on a regular basis.
Surprise a friend with a hug. Kiss your family members frequently. If you like
how the clerk treated you in the store, thank them. Leave your partner small
notes expressing gratitude for kind acts. Doing all of this adds warmth and
positive energy to your life and the lives of people around you. It's
comforting to both the giver and receiver of each loving act.
4.
Make
a difference: Reach out beyond your normal scope. This is your
opportunity to live your promise. Don't wait. Each time you make a difference
in the lives of others; you create hope in yourself. By reaching out to someone
in need, you add a little more peace and hope to the world. Your accumulated
gestures of care and compassion will ultimately transform your lives and the
lives of others. You are the source of that transformation. Knowing this gives
you hope.
5.
Restrict your intake
of news:
Oversaturation with news right now is harmful to emotional health. If you read
the newspaper in the morning, let that be enough. You don't need to turn on the
TV or computer too especially before bed. Consider putting a complete pause on
news at least once a week. Anything you missed will be there tomorrow. Limit
any news you let your children watch.
6.
Say this statement
daily:
Say this affirmation every day and see where it leads you: "I can bring
about peace." Most of us believe
that peace will come from people or places. Just the opposite is true. Peace
starts with each individual, and it will only come to this world from the
people themselves. It is critical that we each create peace in the small and
large moments of our lives. We must live it in our words and actions rather
than giving in to fear, hatred, or resignation.
7.
Take a break: Every morning,
afternoon and night, take a thirty second break to look at the sky, breathe
deeply, and offer thanks. Even though
the world has its problems, the sun still rises in the sky each morning, and
each day you're awake and alive is a good day. Let God be your standard of
hope. Think of other people around the world as you look inside yourself, and
know that we all share this planet together. Among all of us, you have the
ability to create solutions to the problems that now exist.
8.
Treat each day like a
precious gift:
Be attentive in looking for things and people to appreciate. What if today was
the last day of your life? How would you want to live it? Ask yourself this
question often. It will help you let go of the countless petty annoyances that
tend to irritate us all. Shift to appreciation. Who and what are you grateful
for? Make a list and keep adding to it regularly.
Never let
go of hope. One day you will see that it all has finally come together. What
you have always wished for has finally come to be. You will look back and laugh
at what has passed and you will ask yourself 'How did I get through all of
that?” (sayingimages.com)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“8 Ways to
Increase Hope” by Naomi Drew
·
“How to Have Hope” by wikiHow
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