Hope is an inside job. Although poet Alexander Pope said, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast,” hope springs faster and more consistently when we consciously encourage and consistently practice keeping hope afloat in our hearts and souls. In order to keep hope alive, it’s extremely important that we monitor what we allow ourselves to see, hear, and feel, especially in regards to the media. Because our subconscious minds accept as real not only our personal experiences but also those we watch or imagine vividly, it’s up to us to choose mindfully and wisely what we watch and read.

Because images imprint deeply, the disturbing pictures and commentary favored by the media can act as an emotional acid, etching the pain and suffering we witness into our own psyches. Such images can pull the plug on our reserves of hope. Limiting your exposure to sensationalism of all kinds is wise. Allow yourself to be as informed as you feel the need to be but not deformed by overexposure and overstimulation.

Hope is so important because it’s the proverbial light at the end of any dark tunnel encountered. Hope is the ballast that keeps you moving forward and helps you continue to believe in beauty, love, and survival, even when your personal waters are incredibly rough. With hope, it’s easier to keep your head above water while navigating stormy seas. Hope makes normal, everyday life much brighter and more joyous.

My friend Anne provides a great example of how to nurture hope in hard times. During the inevitable dark times of aggressive breast cancer treatments, she consciously being at home in the moment courted hope. Allowing people to help (not a familiar feat for her) and using Julian of Norwich’s famous prayer “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well” as her mantra were two of her most important hope boosters. Anne also intentionally chose to be a student of cancer rather than its victim and, as such, kept asking herself invaluable questions, like “What lesson am I learning here?” and “What is cancer trying to tell me?” After the completion of surgery and treatment, Anne stood in front of her church family and, with grace and gratitude, shared her journey with us. Hers were about the only dry eyes in the congregation.


Practice...

• Promise yourself to keep hope afloat in your heart and soul.
• If you find yourself in the dark, search out a speck, flash, or ray of light right here, right now.
• Intentionally look on the bright side.

Throughout your day...

• Three times a day, take a moment to find a spark of hope in nature, your own life, your home, or the life of a friend or loved one.

Hope is contagious. Please spread it.

from The Mindful Woman: Gentle Practices for Restoring Calm, Finding Balance & Opening Your Heart.