How to nurture hope during difficult times
Right now, the world seems to have turned itself upside down overnight. With the pandemic steamrollering through jobs, businesses, and lives, it seems like nothing will ever be the same again. We can easily lose hope over the situation. If you're starting to feel like our situation is hopeless, here are a few ways to help improve your situation.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness has become a popular buzz word that can mean a number of things, but generally means to be consciously aware of something. We can use mindfulness by actively bringing hope to the forefront of our minds. It's important to make a distinction between “wise hope” or hope for the future and the things we can do for it, and false hope—the kind typically offered by those insisting they have a miracle cure.
By making a conscious effort to be hopeful, and staying present in the moment, we can help improve our outlook.
Help others
Fred Rodgers, the familiar and much loved character from Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood, once advised young children to, “Look for the helpers,” when scary events were happening. While it's true bad things happen all the time, we also know that there are people who are there and willing to lend a helping hand.
You can take this a step farther by finding ways to help in a given situation. This might be setting up a drive-by food pantry in a cabinet in your front yard, shopping for your elderly neighbor who is afraid to go out, or sewing masks for people in need. Helping is one of the best ways to bring hope to others and yourself.
Reach out to friends and family
Isolation may well be one of the worst effects of Covid-19. Luckily, we live in a time and place where we no longer have to be physically present to reach out. Call your friends and family, use FaceTime to visit with them, or even send a care package. You'll feel better, and so will they.
Take care of your body
It's easy to let yourself go while you're in quarantine. While not having to put makeup on (or pants for that matter) is definitely one of the perks of quarantine, eating a diet of straight pizza probably isn't the best approach for good health.
While you might not consider a few extra pounds related to hope in any way, studies show they are linked. A positive outlook and hope for the future can even benefit our health directly, and the same in reverse. Even if you're not hopeful about the future, good health may be the key to helping you get there. You don't have to give up unhealthy habits entirely, but being more mindful about what you do with your body during quarantine can make a difference in how you feel mentally as well.
These are difficult times, and it is unfortunately easy to lose hope. If you're feeling concerned about the future, follow these steps to try and give yourself a more positive outlook for the future.
