The hope effect

Since the dawn of humankind there have been struggles and at times cataclysmic events that have tested the hearts and minds of the most optimistic who walk among us. Wars that ripped families apart and divided nations, devastating bushfires and droughts that unleashed Mother Nature’s fury, and pandemics that swept the globe and brought out the very best and the very worst of humanity.

Right now, in the wake of a pandemic, we are living in unprecedented times. You might think, “OK, what have I got to be hopeful about?” While we can’t control the big-picture stuff, there is a lot we can do to develop a sense of hopefulness about the future. Hope is an optimistic state of mind; it’s a belief that something good will happen. It’s not about being unrealistic. It’s about opening your heart to the universe.

Living a life of hope can encompass many things. Having more but living with less, learning to trust your gut, developing hopeful habits, finding strength and solace, embracing mindfulness and discovering your inner joy.

Emily Dickinson once said, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers — That perches in the soul — And sings the tune without the words — And never stops — at all.”

Hope is something we