How do you hope in a chaotic world? How can you work on your hope? How do you grow hope and hold on to it when you need hope most? These small actions may not seem like they pack a big punch, but they are tried and true, powerful, and life-changing techniques. Taking these steps are just like planting seeds and when you plant them consistently, they grow into a robust field of resilience, hope, and wholeness. Even in chaotic times such as these. Maybe even more so.
- Start a daily habit of gratitude. Some people have a jar. Some have a journal or a special box. Where ever you decide to store these bright little drops of starlight, make sure they are well within your reach. This is essential groundwork towards filling up your hope meter and working on your hoping skills! Each day write down one thing that brought you joy or made you smile, no matter how small it may seem. For me, it was once seeing a bunch of little kids waving to me from the back window of a school bus. They did not know me and yet, they were so elated to see me. When hope feels far away, reach in and read a few. You will be reminded that even though life does not feel great in this moment, there truly is beauty all around you. Sometimes it is just harder t see so we have to remind ourselves that it is real. It does exist and we will see it again.
- Unfollow and mute. Clean up your digital space. Unfollow accounts that drain you and leave you feeling unfulfilled or just plain bad. Pay attention to how you feel when you view certain times of messages or content. Tune out the noise. Only follow people, pages, and even news that makes you feel seen, inspired, or empowered.
- Light a candle with intention. If you are like me, you have a cabinet full of candles, just waiting to be lit on a special day. You want to know what I figured out this year? That special day is today and every day after. I am not saving my candles anymore. I light one every day, especially while I am writing or working alone. When I light the candle I speak a truth out loud like: “I am whole,” “I am enough,” or “My space is sacred”. The act of lighting the candle and speaking this truth acts like a powerful grounding ritual. I am ready to begin anything.
- Take a no-phone walk. Step outside in the air and the open sky. Even if you can only do so for 5 minutes. Do it. No phone. No music. No scrolling. Breathe. Look up. Feel your feet on the ground. Know that if you can stand here on this floating rock, you can do anything. Let the power of the Earth reset you. Start over.
- Create a “beauty basket”. Fill a small basket with things that make your soul smile: affirmations, tea, lotion, poems, your favorite book, a favorite photo or postcard, soft fabric, bubble bath, a letter from a loved one. When the world feels cold, this basket will remind you of who you really are. Believe the basket you made when you felt your best. Not the world around you.
- Have a “sacred hour” every week. Block out one hour every week that belongs to you. Don’t tell me you don’t have time! This is your life. There is something seriously wrong if you cannot give yourself one hour of your time a week. If you are really struggling with this, please pick up a workbook I made just for you called the How to Dream workbook where I show you exactly how to carve out time for you. Use this one precious hour for restoration. Use it to read, write, journal, bathe, stretch, daydream or whatever your soul is calling you to create in that moment as long as it is for you and you alone.
- Reconnect with childhood joy. What did little-you love? Drawing? Jumping rope? Making jewelry out of flowers? Making up words to songs? Reclaim it. That version of you is still alive and wants (and deserves) to laugh, smile, breathe and play.
- Compliment another woman. Don’t make it complicated. Just take a minute… and say: “I am grateful I met you.” Or “You mean something to my life.” It can also be more of a real time compliment like, “I was thinking about that outfit you wore Thursday and I just wanted to say you are beautiful!” Let another woman know that you see her, she matters, and she is doing great! Kindness is medicine and we all need a dose.
- Limit your news intake. Stay informed, but not overwhelmed. You don’t need to know every thing. Your nervous system needs (and deserves) a break.
- Create one small thing. Paint. Scrapbook. Arrange flowers. Fold origami. Make a candle. Create something because you as a human are a natural born creator. Yes, you. Nature made you a creator and that’s the only cosigner you need. Create… because you can. Making beauty is healing.
Share this list with others in your circle and commit to putting it into action. Get a group together that meets monthly or quarterly and hold one another accountable. Be a woman who is rooted in her power and refuses to let the chaos of the world steal her light, her joy, her hope and her dreams. Make sure that you and everyone on your circle knows how to work on their hoping skills!