~ Don't Lose Hope!

   Loss of hope doesn't have to be the path we walk down.
   You see, hope is actually something we create. It's not something that
magically appears from an outside source. We each have within us the
capacity to generate hope. It's critical that we be absolutely intentional
about nurturing hope in our lives and the lives of our children.
   Now more than ever, overcoming fear and holding onto hope are essential.
The eight steps below will enable you do this. Try these steps yourself and
teach them to your kids. Do some of these as a family. Know that it is
within your control to become more hopeful. Don't let the news be your
undoing. You can take charge. Here's how: 1. Be kind to yourself.
Think about what you need most, and then do it. Is it a cup of tea, a brisk
walk, some downtime, quiet music, a little rest, or reading inspirational
literature? Whatever it is, grant yourself permission to do it, even for
just a few minutes. If you're at work, take a "care-break" where you take
care of you for a brief moment. These small moments accumulate and transform
the texture of our days. 2. Create a 5-minute silence ritual every day.
Light a candle and pray, meditate or reflect. You don't have to believe in
any particular deity to make this work. Just silently reflecting in front of
a lit candle is extremely nurturing and healing. This may be the one time of
day when you feel connected to your own soul, and perhaps even something
larger. Don't skip this step -- it's very powerful. 3. Curtail your intake
of news.
Oversaturation with news right now is detrimental to emotional health. If
you read the newspaper in the morning, let that be enough. You don't need to
turn on the TV or radio too, especially before bed. Consider putting a
complete moratorium on news at least once a week. Anything you missed will
be there tomorrow. Drastically curtail any news you let your children
watch.4. Treat each day like the precious gift it is.
Be vigilant in looking for things and people to appreciate. What if today
was the last day of your life? How would you want to live it? Ask yourself
this question throughout the day. It will help you let go of the countless
petty annoyances that tend to throw most of us off balance.
   Shift your gaze to appreciation. Who and what are you grateful for? Make a
list each day and add to it. 5. Every morning, afternoon and night, take a
30-second break to look at the sky, breathe deeply and offer thanks.
Even though the world has its problems, the sun still rises in the sky each
morning, and we're awake and alive when we get out of bed. Let the sky be a
touchstone to hope. Think of other people around the world as you look at
the sky, and know that we all share this planet together. Among all of us,
we have the ability to create solutions to the problems that now exist.
   Trust that this is so. 6. Express love tangibly.
Hugs, words, notes, acts of kindness -- be indiscriminately generous with
all of them. Surprise a friend with a hug. Hug and kiss your kids longer and
with deeper feeling. If you like how the clerk treated you in the store,
thank her. Leave your partner small notes expressing gratitude for kind
acts. Doing all of this adds warmth and positive energy to our lives and the
lives of people around us. It's also very comforting both to the giver and
receiver of each loving act. 7. Say this affirmation everyday and see where
it leads you: "I am the key to peace."
Most of us believe, erroneously, that peace will come from people or
institutions much larger than we. Just the opposite is true. Peace starts
with each individual and it will only come to this world from the people
themselves. It is critical that we each create peace in the small and large
moments of our lives. We must live it in our words and actions rather than
giving in to fear, hatred, or resignation. 8. Make a difference.
Reach out beyond your normal scope. This is your opportunity to live your
greatest promise, highest self. Don't wait. Each time we make a difference
in the lives of others, we create hope in ourselves. By reaching out to
someone in need, be it your neighbor, a Guatemalan orphan, or people in a
homeless shelter, we add a little more peace and hope to the world. Our
accumulated gestures of care and compassion will ultimately transform our
lives and the lives of others. We are each the source of that
transformation. Knowing this gives me hope.
   ! ~Loss of hope doesn't have to be the path we walk down.

   You see, hope is actually something we create. It's not something that
magically appears from an outside source. We each have within us the
capacity to generate hope. It's critical that we be absolutely intentional
about nurturing hope in our lives and the lives of our children.
   Now more than ever, overcoming fear and holding onto hope are essential.
The eight steps below will enable you do this. Try these steps yourself and
teach them to your kids. Do some of these as a family. Know that it is
within your control to become more hopeful. Don't let the news be your
undoing. You can take charge. Here's how:
   1. Be kind to yourself.
Think about what you need most, and then do it. Is it a cup of tea, a brisk
walk, some downtime, quiet music, a little rest, or reading inspirational
literature? Whatever it is, grant yourself permission to do it, even for
just a few minutes. If you're at work, take a "care-break" where you take
care of you for a brief moment. These small moments accumulate and transform
the texture of our days.
   2. Create a 5-minute silence ritual every day.
Light a candle and pray, meditate or reflect. You don't have to believe in
any particular deity to make this work. Just silently reflecting in front of
a lit candle is extremely nurturing and healing. This may be the one time of
day when you feel connected to your own soul, and perhaps even something
larger. Don't skip this step -- it's very powerful.
   3. Curtail your intake of news.
Oversaturation with news right now is detrimental to emotional health. If
you read the newspaper in the morning, let that be enough. You don't need to
turn on the TV or radio too, especially before bed. Consider putting a
complete moratorium on news at least once a week. Anything you missed will
be there tomorrow. Drastically curtail any news you let your children watch.
   4. Treat each day like the precious gift it is.
Be vigilant in looking for things and people to appreciate. What if today
was the last day of your life? How would you want to live it? Ask yourself
this question throughout the day. It will help you let go of the countless
petty annoyances that tend to throw most of us off balance.
   Shift your gaze to appreciation. Who and what are you grateful for? Make a
list each day and add to it.
   5. Every morning, afternoon and night, take a 30-second break to look at
the sky, breathe deeply and offer thanks.
Even though the world has its problems, the sun still rises in the sky each
morning, and we're awake and alive when we get out of bed. Let the sky be a
touchstone to hope. Think of other people around the world as you look at
the sky, and know that we all share this planet together. Among all of us,
we have the ability to create solutions to the problems that now exist.
   Trust that this is so.
   6. Express love tangibly.
Hugs, words, notes, acts of kindness -- be indiscriminately generous with
all of them. Surprise a friend with a hug. Hug and kiss your kids longer and
with deeper feeling. If you like how the clerk treated you in the store,
thank her. Leave your partner small notes expressing gratitude for kind
acts. Doing all of this adds warmth and positive energy to our lives and the
lives of people around us. It's also very comforting both to the giver and
receiver of each loving act.
   7. Say this affirmation everyday and see where it leads you: "I am the key
to peace."
Most of us believe, erroneously, that peace will come from people or
institutions much larger than we. Just the opposite is true. Peace starts
with each individual and it will only come to this world from the people
themselves. It is critical that we each create peace in the small and large
moments of our lives. We must live it in our words and actions rather than
giving in to fear, hatred, or resignation.
   8. Make a difference.
Reach out beyond your normal scope. This is your opportunity to live your
greatest promise, highest self. Don't wait. Each time we make a difference
in the lives of others, we create hope in ourselves. By reaching out to
someone in need, be it your neighbor, a Guatemalan orphan, or people in a
homeless shelter, we add a little more peace and hope to the world. Our
accumulated gestures of care and compassion will ultimately transform our
lives and the lives of others. We are each the source of that
transformation. Knowing this gives me hope.



.··-.¸.-··. (`'·.¸(`'·.¸ ¸.·'´)¸.·'´) .··-.¸.-··.
`·.       GOD LOVES YOU      .·´
     `·´     (¸.·'´(¸.·'´ `'·.¸)`'·.¸)     `·´  ...And So Do I

God Bless
ASAP( Always Say A Prayer)

.·´¨¨ ·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·>MARY <-:¦:- ._¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
                                               ,·´ .·´¨¨
                                                 ((¸¸.·'
www.EarthAngelsOfLove.com


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