Hope

Photo by Ben While for Unsplash

By Dianne J. Shaver, M.A.
With so much going on that is upsetting, sometimes it seems that we just keep our head down and plow on.  There doesn’t seem to be much joy or fun or hope out there right now.  I hear different people talk about just being stressed out, or just too much to do, or other ways of expressing their joy-less state.  It all comes down to the same thing.  There is a lack of hope out there and we’re all feeling it. 
To compensate, we push harder and move faster.  As if that would make up for the lack of happiness.  But, if more did it for us, then people who were well off would not embezzle funds, or have affairs with women not their wives, or affluent women shop-lift.  Stuff, money, things do not fill in the hole that many are feeling now.
So, what’s the solution?  How do you deal with loss of hope, joy and fun?  Sounds trite, but if we could begin, however slowly, to open our hearts toward ourselves and then toward others, there would be hope, joy and fun again.  When we focus on events and lose our connection to ourselves and to others we are in a joy-less sate.  Since we are all connected (that is literal, not figurative.) We need one another.  We need connection to each other. We don’t do well when we don’t have that.
The other step we can take is to slow down.  Faster doesn’t make it.  Someone said that the faster we move the lower our vibration becomes.  The slower we move the higher our vibration becomes.  Or, in other words we are more conscious when we slow down. It takes discipline and commitment to slow down, to become more conscious.  It is a very deliberate act.  It is also going against the predominant cultural norm.
The more we do, the more praise we receive.  The faster we run the more we are admired. The more we accumulate the more we are envied. However, in each case the emptier we · 
become. You would think we would have figured that out by now.  Doesn’t’ seem to be the case. But we can learn. If we become uncomfortable enough maybe we might.
In the meantime, what about an experiment?  Try connecting with a few people from a place of being real and genuine.  See how if feels.  See what it does to the quality of your day.  Try doing only 3 things a day instead of 20.  See how you feel at the end of the day. ( After you’ve gone through the guilt thing.  Do it then let it go,) 
What you will learn is that you do have control over your life and the quality of that life. Once you understand that, you can deliberately and consciously do things that will bring you true joy and with that the return of hope.  You will also improve the quality of life on the planet for everyone because we are connected and you do have influence.  Worth trying itt out.
 
Slow down and live! (Used to be a slogan for driving, but repurposing it.)
My best to you as you find joy  and hope again.
Dianne J. Shaver, M.A.
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