I hope this essay will bring you a blessing
When everything in our lives seems to be falling apart, it can be difficult to keep hope alive. We may feel like we are at the end of our rope, with no options left and no idea what to do next. But even in the darkest of times, there is always some light to be found.
Here are a few tricks for keeping hope alive, even when it feels impossible.
1) Talk to someone you trust
This could be a friend, family member, therapist, counselor, or anyone else with who you feel comfortable confiding in. Talking about your problems can help you to feel heard and understood, and can also give you some much-needed perspective. Sometimes, all we need is to vent our frustrations to someone who will listen without judgment.
2) Get involved in a cause
There are many causes out there worth fighting for, whether it’s environmentalism, social justice, or something else entirely. Getting involved in a cause can give you a sense of purpose and make you feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself. It can also be a great way to meet like-minded people and make new friends.
3) Help others
When we’re feeling lost and hopeless, it can be helpful to remember that we’re not alone. There are always people out there who are going through similar trials and tribulations. Reaching out to help others can not only make them feel better, but it can also make us feel better as well. Seeing the difference we can make in someone else’s life is a powerful reminder that we too have value and worth.
Reiki gives me the feeling of doing something meaningful and a very powerful sense of helping people. This is something I can’t recommend enough, as it’s easy
Keeping the momentum going
You know how hard it is to stick to that diet – or get to the gym on a regular basis – or always do this before you do that – or any other number of things that you have promised yourself faithfully to do without fail, on a regular basis, from here on in.
You make those promises to yourself because you know that the behavior or the attitude you are trying to adopt will serve you, and help you, and make you better in so many ways.
And then you don’t do it. I don’t do it. We don’t do it. And when it comes to a spiritual practice that is readily available and easy and gives you a big bang for your buck, you still don’t do it. At least many of us don’t do it consistently enough to make a real difference in our lives.
Why is permanent change so hard? I guess it’s just easier to keep driving in the same old grooves than it is to chart a new and unwalked path. It takes effort, and commitment. Often we will start something in a rush of emotion and passion, and when the adrenalin rush is over, we go back to our old ways. In truth, we can’t keep up that initial enthusiasm without a deeper sense of desire for the outcome of our new behavior. What helps in a lot of cases is a support team. We surround ourselves with other committed people who are creating the same new path for themselves, and the group momentum keeps us going.
Appreciating the small things brings hope
Overthinking kills your happiness. When we achieve happiness beyond words, we can do great things.
I like my house plants. They add beauty and life to my surroundings. I don’t mind watering them, putting crystals in their pots, sending them loving appreciation, and giving them the occasional bath. The problem is that when I do all those things, they grow. They no longer fit on that windowsill or that table. They need larger containers and they start to take over spaces that were assigned to other things. Then instead of enjoying them, I start thinking of them as work.
They don’t fit into the neat spaces I had found for them anymore. They go on the ‘to-do’ list of things that have to get taken care of.
Growth is like that. We say we want it. We learn about it. We encourage it in ourselves and in others. We celebrate it, and then, sometimes we don’t. New growth doesn’t always fit into old lives.
When children grow physically they constantly need new clothes and new furniture and new toys and new age-appropriate things to do. Our souls require just as much care but often don’t get it. How many of you have encouraged your spiritual development, while still trying to squeeze yourself into your old activities and your old relationships, and your old routines?
Spiritual development has some requirements: a healthier environment to flourish in, and a higher level of nourishment. I hope that doesn’t discourage you from trying, though, just because it takes some work.
If only we could be like children. Children enjoy each new stage – they welcome every new inch and every new opportunity. They run toward change like it’s the very air they breathe. They easily let go of things that no longer fit and happily embrace something new that does. They want to grow up and they celebrate every change that comes with it.
Conclusion:
It’s normal to feel lost and hopeless at times; we all go through tough times in our lives. But even in the darkest of moments, there is always some light to be found. By talking to someone we trust, getting involved in a cause we care about, or helping others, we can keep hope alive—even when everything seems to be falling apart.
Do you want to grow up? Are you willing to let go of the old and embrace the new? One thing is for sure:
If you continue to nurture yourself you will outgrow your pot.
Hope that’s okay with you.