Hope is the tool of choice for the grateful. . .

We can begin to cultivate hope in ourselves and others by acknowledging the many people who are on our path by intention. By acknowledge, I mean to really look into the eyes of the many who surround you. No one is “there” accidentally. No one!  When we embrace that awareness, the fear we so easily let fester  in unfamiliar circumstances, diminishes.   There is no way to initiate hope when fear lingers at the edge of our mind. The simple recognition that wherever we are is where we have been called to be can change our mood and expectations and suspend our disbelief.

Most of us have struggled with fear at some point in our lives.  I was controlled by it for more than three decades. I grew up in a family where anger and depression were prevalent. Early in my recovery, my father, a bank officer, told me that every day of his life he had been scared that he might make an error at work that would cost the bank embarrassment, financial loss, or worse. How sad his life was.

I realized during that discussion how my father had set in motion the “imprinting” I’d been controlled by for more than three decades. My fear-based upbringing drove me to drink, to cling, to abuse others, and, on more than one occasion, to contemplate suicide.

From childhood on, I kept suicide tucked away in my back pocket as a possible solution for my seemingly undiminishable fear. The thought of suicide as a way out never frightened me. It comforted me, in fact. My fear tired me greatly. I didn’t think life would ever really feel or look any different, and that was okay. But then, at my lowest point, I met a woman, an “angel” I’m sure, who changed my mind. She explained my fear to me—what it meant and how to let it go. She gave it a name: chemicalization.

Since that day I have never looked back. Now if I wake up a bit edgy or unsure of my direction (which happens only occasionally now), I turn to one of the suggestions on the following list. They are simple but to the point. And they free me. Any one of them can allow me to start the day again, without fear. Because it works for me, I offer them to you. No one should live in a state of constant fear. No one should live in fear for an hour or even a moment. We need not do it. Ever. Give any one of these suggestions a try and feel the new you.  I promise immediate results and a hopeful heart!

Simple things we can do now to change our perceptions and become more hopeful.

• Ask God or your Higher Power for help.

• Let go!

• Surrender.

• Do one thing to inspire joy in someone else’s life each day. Make a note of this in a small notebook.

• Choose kindness in all encounters; feel it change your heart.

• When feeling hopeless, choose a fond memory to change your perception. Keep a “list” of fond memories    handy for just such a time.

• Make a gratitude list to help you recall the good that has already happened. Update it frequently.

• Praying for others will change your heart. Begin each day with a prayer for someone.

• Peaceful acts create more hope in ourselves and others. Make your first action of the day loving and kind. Perhaps it’s as simple as a smile.

• Using a gentle voice can create more hope in ourselves and others, too.

• Embrace change. God or your Higher Power is present to help. In fact, God or your Higher Power offered the change as a invitation for more growth.

• Welcome “every messenger.” We both have volunteered for the lesson.

• Honor all others who cross your path in tiny ways.

• The universe would shift if every one of us walked away from one argument every day.

• Remember: Whatever is happening is part of your own unique planning, tailor-made for the journey you have selected to experience.

• And lastly, remember: If you are still alive, you have not yet completed the purpose for which you were born. Go forth into this day eagerly.