Staying Hopeful

Life isn’t always written the way you would write the story, and sometimes staying hopeful can be a challenge. Just spend some time listening to the news or checking online, and you will confirm you live in uncertain times. The job you thought was safe might not be there tomorrow. There’s always some natural disaster somewhere. Too often, people seem to be more cruel than they seem to be kind.

It’s easy to get caught up in a negative spiral of self-doubt and anxiety. How do you stay hopeful and positive when negative messages and fear swirl all around you?

Here are three suggestions to help you deal with all this.

Be here now

Focusing on the present; if you do, you’ll find it easier to take a step back and act as an observer. By practicing mindfulness, you’ll see you can enjoy the simple things in life no matter how bad things may seem. All worries and fears of the unknown can melt away if you focus on the present.  Look for things in your life for which you are grateful, and that will help you in staying hopeful.

Look for ways to exhibit compassion and empathy

Spreading hope needs to start somewhere. Begin with the one person you can control; you. By looking for opportunities to pay it forward through random acts of kindness, you will feel good about yourself and will also become the impetus for others to do the same. Your compassionate heart and ability to walk in another person’s shoes will be the guide to those around you. Even if it’s not? You’ll have at least changed one heart – your own.

I read something like this a few years ago. It challenged us to do something nice for someone else and to do it anonymously. I liked the idea, and I decided to give the manager of my office flowers. She had been having a tough time at work, and her father was sick as well.

I bought her beautiful flowers and went back to work that evening. I put them in a vase so they would be there when she got in to work the next morning. She loved them and to this day, she doesn’t know who left them for her. It was fun to do and made her (and me) happy.

Do something

The person without hope becomes stagnant, preferring to hide from the world. If you find that’s how you are feeling, then it’s time to force yourself into action, even if you don’t feel like it. Get out of the house. Call a friend and suggest an outing or go by yourself. Find a green space somewhere because it’s been proven  these places have been found to create calm and contentment in those who spend even a few minutes in gentle green surroundings. The goal is to find a positive action and embrace it, whatever that might be. Pick up litter, write a note card to a friend or to someone who is lonely. It’s so seldom that people send actual written snail mail cards, that they’ve become very special to the person receiving it. I guarantee it will make you feel good inside.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the negativity of the world around you. Sometimes, it’s only by actively seeking hope that you will find it and feel it. Try practicing these three steps regularly; see if staying hopeful becomes easier for you, even in uncertain times.

Helping You Achieve Major Wellness!

Cheryl A Major

I’m  author, health coach, and entrepreneur Cheryl A Major, and I would love to connect with you. If you’re new to the world of creating a better mindset for yourself, please check out my training on how to do just that at Embrace Optimism. Learn how to improve your mindset and create a happier and more positive life for yourself and those around you.

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