7 Things to Make You Feel Hopeful, Right Now

And they take less than 5 minutes

Every so often, life throws curveballs. Some we dodge, some we hit out of the park, and then there are some that get us down and out.

The unfairness of life is not always easy to deal with. Before we know it, we are spiraling down into despair. Here are 7 simple things we can do to stop this downward spiral and uplift the mood.

Name positive emotions: This seems deceptively simple, but works. Place your hand on your heart, close your eyes, and say names of positive emotions — peace, love, abundance, acceptance, courage, strength, hope, faith. Whatever emotions are positive for you, say those words, aloud if possible, for one whole minute.

Closing your eyes and saying these emotionally charged words floods your mind and heart with positivity. Just what you need in the moment.

This is a real doozy and one of my secret and tried and tested activity when I’m feeling low. It has never failed me so far and the best part is, it only takes a minute.

Think of one Random Act of Kindness you did: What was one thing you did that helped someone, brought a smile or relief to them. Doesn’t matter how long ago it was, might have been in your childhood or school. What was that act? Try to remember all the details.

The fact that you still remember it indicates that it meant something deeper to you. How did it make you feel? Why does it make you feel positive?

In our unhappy moments, we often tend to diminish our accomplishments, or the fact that we can contribute and be useful. Reminding ourselves of having done so before reaffirms self-belief and creates an urge to contribute.

Think of your favorite place: Close your eyes and imagine you are at your favorite place. What do you see? What are you hearing? What’s the temperature like, is there a breeze? Are you sitting, standing, lying down? Really get into the minute details and use your senses to feel the place.

Without spending a dime, you can relive your experience of traveling to your most favorite place. Being teleported into a different environment lifts you out of your current situation and helps gain perspective. In addition, the positive feelings associated with your experience fill your heart and mind with positivity.

Write down 7 things you are grateful for right now: Get a paper and pen and actually write down 7 or more things you are thankful for in your life, right now. If nothing comes to mind, and you are reading this, how about the ability to read and write?

There are countless things in our daily lives that we take for granted. The ability to see, walk, talk, read, have two meals a day… the list is countless. Being grateful for what you have fills the heart with hope.

I’ve tried this activity in my most frustrating moments, when it seemed nothing is going anywhere or not in the direction that I want it to. Giving thanks for all that I have, fills my heart with appreciation. I also add the extra step of giving thanks in advance for the things I aspire for; like I’ve already achieved them. That one is a game-changer (more about that in a future article).

Write down your aspirations and desires: Get that paper and pen and start writing down your goals, aspirations, and desires. Don’t stop until you’ve poured them all out on paper. No matter how small or big the goal or desire may seem, just write it down.

Then, pick any one goal/desire from your list and write two things you can do immediately toward that goal. It can be as basic as, I will research about this, and you go Google it, read an article or watch a video about someone who has already accomplished what you want.

For me, doing this seemingly unproductive-in-the-moment activity has actually turned out to be surprisingly productive many times. Goals/desires I didn’t consciously know existed, came tumbling out on that paper. Some were quite achievable with little effort. Like this silly desire to have my work room look lively by adding bright flowers — I buy them with groceries every week and they not only make my desk beautiful but also keep me cheerful through the week.

Pick a favorite everyday activity: You may not have realized it, but you have a favorite everyday activity. Singing in the shower? Watering the plants? Arranging the books? Talking to your pet? Something that may be mundane but makes you happy.

Many times, we are either thinking of the past or planning for the future, not consciously aware of the feelings in the moment. Taking the time to do an everyday activity with awareness and knowing that it will bring joy, breaks the monotony.

If you can’t think of any such activity or don’t have one, think of taking one up. Meditating, running, journaling, dancing, jumping rope, maybe?

Write a letter to yourself: Pour out all your advice, all your kindness, anger, and other emotions into this letter to yourself. Keep writing till you’re convinced there’s nothing more left to say. Read the letter (aloud if possible) back to yourself. What stands out to you?

If you were your best friend, would you say of those things? Would you give that advice? Would you be this judgmental? What would you do differently? Now go ahead and do it!

A number of times when I felt disappointed or like a I had failed, and therefore angry, I’ve tried using this method. Every time, without fail, I’ve been surprised by how critical of myself I can be and have come away being more self compassionate. Try it, you may be surprised too.

If you’re lucky, you probably have family and friends to lean on when you’re feeling down and out. But they’re not or won’t always available.

The truth is, no one from the outside can fix our problems and make us feel better and motivated and happy. More importantly, it is not their responsibility to do so. If leaning on these simple activities and more importantly, our own mind, can help dig ourselves out of the despair and hopelessness, it’s worth a try. Wouldn’t you say so?

If you used any of these activities, I would love to hear about your experience. Please leave your comments.