Finding hope and holding on

Photo credit :Sriraj Sasikumar

We are facing one of the most uncertain times in human history. We are going through it all at Mach speed. The pandemic, natural calamities, countries falling, personal loss, and loneliness. Time is a blur, most days, and living, a chore. Humanity is collectively looking for some magic pill that can help. As humans, we feel small in the face of these tragedies. And now, we are all staring wide-eyed at the horizon, looking for hope.

So, how do we move on from this? How do we survive? As a race and as a person, how do we overcome this?

First, we need to admit our fallacies. We are human, after all. Then, we need to take a deep breath and reiterate that time is infinite and time will heal. This too shall pass. Never before has humanity been so aware and exposed. Thanks to social media, we are in a state of constant awareness. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. We need to realize that our hearts and minds can only consume so much. Let’s take some time for ourselves. It may be five minutes a day when we collect our thoughts and be mindful of our wellbeing. Acknowledge what hurts and what feels better and work towards healing ourselves. We can only be good to others if we are good to ourselves. Let’s deal with our problems and the weight of the world one step at a time.

It is ok to not be ok all the time and it is not just us feeling this way. Sometimes, hope can be found in camaraderie. Sharing is cathartic. Also, recognize if someone around you needs help. Extend a helping hand or talk to them. No gesture is small when it comes to reaching out to someone. By finding small joys in our daily lives we can make a significant change in our attitude and outlook towards life. It takes a lot of courage to take steps towards finding hope and commitment to keep at it and keep going. Things happen. The way to overcome is to find ways to regain your balance. Surround yourself with a little bit of good. It may be good friends, family, books, or funny videos. Whatever works for you. Things that help you and remind you of hope. The world may chaotic and overwhelming, but, together, we can get through this.