Remaining hopeful…

In these days of war, following a long pandemic, discouragement is easy to let in, take over our lives and darken our days. 

Remaining hopeful and optimistic is much more difficult and requires a concerted effort if we don’t want to sink into resignation or even despair. I am no exception to these feelings, I don’t enjoy them and I’m trying to find ways to neutralize them.

Of course, I realize the cyclical nature of life, of our feelings and know that after the rain, sunshine will return, but it’s always hard to keep in mind. I also remember to be grateful for being alive and having a family that’s both healthy and comfortable, and ask myself what can I do, to cleanse my mind and get a more positive and enthusiastic outlook. 

Again, I do that in large part by taking stock of all the good things that are part of my daily life and remind me that I’m very lucky indeed. This is were I remember that my daily struggles and challenges are nothing compared to those encountered by many people who aren’t as fortunate as I am. 

I also remind myself about all the things I still need to do during the rest of my life, including fun stuff, challenging tasks and personal growth. Finally, I try to discipline myself by absorbing a limited amount of negative news and keeping bad thoughts out of my mind whenever I can. 

Instead, I look for more inspiring news and stories and seek contact with optimistic and hopeful people to strengthen and elevate my view of the world...