Hi Friend
I saw a funny TikTok about Taylor Swifts new album. The essence was “I haven’t been able to accomplish some simple basic tasks and that woman is writing, recording and putting out a whole new album.” We all can relate. Some weeks I feel like I’m innovating and contributing, other weeks I feel like I literally went backwards in life. I prefer the former over the latter.
This week felt like forward motion. I’ve incorporated being outside more. I’m purposely going to different parks to keep fresh air flowing in my lungs and mind. Last week when referencing the non-beauty of our parks, my friend Lorinda wrote to assure me that we do have beautiful parks and places, they just happen to be outside of the metro area. (She also thought I might be hurting tourism by painting our state as ugly). 😝
This adaptive practice is what all of us have been doing since March. Layering in new routines and efforts to avoid being swallowed up by the suckiness of our current reality. Both in our personal and professional lives – which have blended into one even more so – we keep fighting to ward off hopelessness.
It’s a rather daunting task.
Kids: School, screen-time, boredom, health, friends. Toddler through high school face their own sense of suffering.
Relationships: Spouse, single, distanced, zooming, alone, crowded. Good communication and healthy interactions are strained.
Self: Thoughts, emotions, security, physicality. The voices in our head never sleep.
Work: Finances, layoffs, opportunities, technology, WFH. Even with a new pace and pattern, uncertainty still taunts.
Society: Politics, health threats, protests, virtual vileness, extremes. The constant bombardment is unbearable.
Make no mistake, in the midst of our work, life and activities we are in an unrelenting battle for hope.
We don’t consciously think about it daily but that doesn’t mean it’s not marinating below the surface. Glimpses of hopelessness appear when we get bad news about a friend or family member. When we experience tragedy or trauma it tries to take hold of us in a merciless way.
How do you nurture hope?
We know that “keeping busy” is a distraction tool many use to try to stay ahead of their thoughts, only to land in bed every night plagued with anxiety. Constant motion cannot outdistance us from our minds.
Busy = activity without purpose.
These last few weeks leaning extensively into our new Virtual Conference Producer role, I’ve been reminded that productivity genuinely permeates hope. It’s not even intentional. As we give ourselves to utilizing our strengths, collaborating with others to create and making progress in any direction, hope emerges. The belief for good is such a powerful force.
When we’re banging on all cylinders we don’t recognize the momentum that hope provides. It’s when the thickness of life pervades, we notice the striking absence of wishful anticipation. Forget the uptick in Coronavirus for a minute, there’s a sense that a second wave of funk is trying to nestle in the hearts and minds of our family, friends and colleagues.
As much as the “check-in” with our people matter, it’s really what you and I do to generate hopefulnessin our own being that will sustain us and be an anchor for those around us.
What forges hope for you? For me…
Small Wins
Connecting with People I Don’t Know
Collaborating with People I Do
Reading Holy Ancient Text that Remind Me
Imagining a Desired Future
Working Hard on Something that May or May Not Go
Thinking, While Outside
Hearing Others Optimism
Like internal funk, anger reveals deficient hope. My kids hated it when I’d say “Anger is a secondary emotion. You’re not angry, you’re something else and it’s appearing as anger.” Typically fear, disappointment, frustration and hurt are the primary drivers (though there are others). In our society today a lot of anger is brewing. People typically attribute it to something external; THAT person, THAT decision, THAT position.
It’s hard to tell the masses that anger is never external. It’s born inside of us. Even righteous anger towards injustice is birthed in our own hearts.
Instigating Ideas…
1. Daily do something that fosters hope in you.
2. Identify activities that avoid dealing with reality.
3. Track the smallest of victories.
4. Check the voices around you. Are they offering positivity or negativity?
5. Anger issues? What’s at the root?
The reason some of us get lost in our work, isn’t because we’re workaholics or avoiding other aspects of life. It’s because generating hope fulfills our soul and rejuvenates our willingness to believe.
I dare you to ramp up significantly hope in you life this week. I would love to hear what you add or subtract that multiplies the potential for optimism-in-action. Please Share.
Beautiful Places in Oklahoma:
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Beavers Bend
Robbers Cave
Wichita Wildlife Refuge
Red Rock Canyon
Little Sahara
The Gathering Place
Quartz Mountain
Orlando
Please visit Trip Advisor to find these and many many more locations as you consider Oklahoma your next destination for outdoor wilderness adventures! 😎