I, personally, used to have very little hope. I was depressed most days and, despite all that is good in my life, which is a lot, I didnt feel as though my life were worth living, despite how much I tried to seek out and find that meaning. I wasn't suicidal, mostly; I just honestly didn't care if I lived or died. I didn't WANT to get hit by a bus; but, if I did, and it killed me, then I figured that would be an end to it all, and i wouldn't be losing out on anything. In short, and in hindsight, I realize that I had no hope. After several people, including my therapist, guiding me toward gratitude, I finally tried it. I read about gratitude and incorporated it into my daily life. I read about law of attraction and tried to practice it. I meditated. I spent more time in nature. I let go of a lot of things, slowly. Two years later, my entire attitude is changed. I fully appreciate all that I have each and everyday. I feel contented and fulfilled and happy to be alive, livinf my life today, even on the bad days. And, yes, of course there are bad days. But they aren't as dire as they once seemed. Things feel surmountable, and i feel more HOPEFUL than ever before. It's a wonderful thing and it's been a wonderful journey, and i hope everyone who struggled like i did gets to experience it at some point. Because while I can't change the world, I can change myself. Carrying around my negativity didn't help me, and it didn't help anyone who crossed my path. Think of what that put out into the universe. If people started to become happier and more hopeful about themselves, just think what energy THAT could put out. Good, positive energy that could change the world! It all starts from within. While it's difficult to help eradicate the environmental factors like fires, it's within our individual grasps to help hatred and disappointment and unkindness be erased from the world.
There's a spiritual belief that this time (kicked off in 2017 and earlier,) is a combustion of sorts. I see the pandemic; hurricane Helene, which decimated the W. North Carolina mountains, and the LA fires (and much more,) as all related. A ginormous deconstruction (plus all the social movements) of all that is not working in order to rebuild. I believe this. And, also, obvs, so many are hurt in the meantime.
We are waking up to what ails and has ailed (sp?) us. Eventually, we'll hit a tipping point. But, I can get caught in the how and the when. Will it be when I'm living? Maybe not. So, I work on grounding myself in this one current moment, which is all that we have and centering, like you are writing about, in gratitude, what we do have, joy and making art even if it's the art of life itself. That's showing up in authenticity and in service.
Thank you for this article which really spoke to me! I agree with you that we need to redefine how we see things at any given time in life. Because it always is what it is. And it is our view, attitude and present moment awareness that defines how we sit with it, and how we see things evolve.
I recently wrote about hope and how freeing I found it when I let it go.
This is a beautiful post, Meagan thank you. Your perspective shift is so important. Disentangling hope from specific outcomes, recognizing the both/and nature of life, letting ourselves feel the full range of joy and silliness and rage and despair. That’s all part of it, I think. Also, moving out the time horizon. Rebecca Solnit’s “Hope In the Dark” changed my perspective on activism and engagement. It showed me that even if what I am doing today doesn’t see results in my lifetime, that’s no reason to think it won’t influence change in the future. Real, practical change. I’d love to keep talking about this.
Thank you for the mention of my work! I am really working on reorienting myself towards abundance, so this resonated.
I, personally, used to have very little hope. I was depressed most days and, despite all that is good in my life, which is a lot, I didnt feel as though my life were worth living, despite how much I tried to seek out and find that meaning. I wasn't suicidal, mostly; I just honestly didn't care if I lived or died. I didn't WANT to get hit by a bus; but, if I did, and it killed me, then I figured that would be an end to it all, and i wouldn't be losing out on anything. In short, and in hindsight, I realize that I had no hope. After several people, including my therapist, guiding me toward gratitude, I finally tried it. I read about gratitude and incorporated it into my daily life. I read about law of attraction and tried to practice it. I meditated. I spent more time in nature. I let go of a lot of things, slowly. Two years later, my entire attitude is changed. I fully appreciate all that I have each and everyday. I feel contented and fulfilled and happy to be alive, livinf my life today, even on the bad days. And, yes, of course there are bad days. But they aren't as dire as they once seemed. Things feel surmountable, and i feel more HOPEFUL than ever before. It's a wonderful thing and it's been a wonderful journey, and i hope everyone who struggled like i did gets to experience it at some point. Because while I can't change the world, I can change myself. Carrying around my negativity didn't help me, and it didn't help anyone who crossed my path. Think of what that put out into the universe. If people started to become happier and more hopeful about themselves, just think what energy THAT could put out. Good, positive energy that could change the world! It all starts from within. While it's difficult to help eradicate the environmental factors like fires, it's within our individual grasps to help hatred and disappointment and unkindness be erased from the world.
CJ, this is such a powerful comment. Thank you!
There's a spiritual belief that this time (kicked off in 2017 and earlier,) is a combustion of sorts. I see the pandemic; hurricane Helene, which decimated the W. North Carolina mountains, and the LA fires (and much more,) as all related. A ginormous deconstruction (plus all the social movements) of all that is not working in order to rebuild. I believe this. And, also, obvs, so many are hurt in the meantime.
We are waking up to what ails and has ailed (sp?) us. Eventually, we'll hit a tipping point. But, I can get caught in the how and the when. Will it be when I'm living? Maybe not. So, I work on grounding myself in this one current moment, which is all that we have and centering, like you are writing about, in gratitude, what we do have, joy and making art even if it's the art of life itself. That's showing up in authenticity and in service.
Thank you for this article which really spoke to me! I agree with you that we need to redefine how we see things at any given time in life. Because it always is what it is. And it is our view, attitude and present moment awareness that defines how we sit with it, and how we see things evolve.
I recently wrote about hope and how freeing I found it when I let it go.
https://mirandavandenheuvel.substack.com/p/why-i-dont-believe-in-hope-anymore
Thank you for sharing, Miranda - it's all so relative, isn't it?
This is a beautiful post, Meagan thank you. Your perspective shift is so important. Disentangling hope from specific outcomes, recognizing the both/and nature of life, letting ourselves feel the full range of joy and silliness and rage and despair. That’s all part of it, I think. Also, moving out the time horizon. Rebecca Solnit’s “Hope In the Dark” changed my perspective on activism and engagement. It showed me that even if what I am doing today doesn’t see results in my lifetime, that’s no reason to think it won’t influence change in the future. Real, practical change. I’d love to keep talking about this.
Oh friend, thank you! "Disentangling hope from specific outcomes" - YES. Thank you for the book recommendation; I will definitely look it up.