Carley Centen - The Book of Hope: 250 Ways to Find Promise and Possibility in Situations Big and Small

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First Adams Media trade paperback edition January 2021

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ISBN 978-1-5072-1538-8

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This book is intended as general information only, and should not be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. In light of the complex, individual, and specific nature of health problems, this book is not intended to replace professional medical advice. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions in this book are intended to supplement, not replace, the advice of a trained medical professional. Consult your physician before adopting any of the suggestions in this book, as well as about any condition that may require diagnosis or medical attention. The author and publisher disclaim any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use of this book.

Hope is more than a fleeting feelingits a way of seeing the inherent change and uncertainty of life as full of potential, mystery, and grounded action. Its what we draw on when things seem bleak. But its also the fuel with which we can charge at life with optimism and resilience. Though its not always easy to remain hopeful through loss, difficulty, and the everyday challenges of life, The Book of Hope provides what you need to restore your sense of possibility, whatever life throws your way.

Throughout the book, youll find 250 unique ways to fill yourself with trust, confidence, and hope, including:

• Mindfulness exercises
• Thought experiments
• Inspirational quotes
• Body and breathwork
• Writing and journaling prompts
• Creative ideas
• And more

From planting a seed to changing your thought patterns and building emotional regulation, the ideas in this book will give you skills and ways to be hopeful, whether youre just trying to get through the dayor working toward building your best life.

If you need a port in the storm as well as an outlook that will take you from surviving to thriving, this book is for you. The Book of Hope has just what you need to heal, inspire, and build yourself upanytime you need it.

This awful catastrophe is not the end but the beginning. History does not end so. It is the way its chapters open.

SAINT AUGUSTINE

Roman-African theologian and philosopher

What do you hope for? It can be tempting to place your hopes in something specific. A fancy car. A dream job. A perfect relationship. See what it feels like to release your expectation of a specific outcome. At its most basic, hope is your aspiration to be your best self.

Set a course for your hope with an affirmation. Affirmations are phrases you can repeat to yourself that help to focus you on something you want to internalize and believe in. Set a hopeful affirmation for how you want to be toward yourself, to others, and in your life. For example:

• I am authentic, open, and honest with myself.
• I am kind, compassionate, and understanding with others.
• I am optimistic. I choose hope.

Tailor these affirmations to what you want to cultivate within yourself for a hopeful outlook in your relationship with yourself and others, and in your experiences. Close your eyes and repeat them to yourself every day when you first wake up to set the tone for your day.

A common metaphor for hope is that it is like a light in the dark. When your hopes are dashed and you dont know where to go from here, it can feel like fumbling around in a cave without a flashlight. Its scary and paralyzing. But you can bring the light, as if youre turning on a switch, and step out of the shadows. Light a candle as a literal interpretation of this idea and as a reminder that within the darkness, hope can light the way.

1. Block out the light in a room. This might be best done at night to make it easier to do so.
2. Strike a match and light a single candle.
3. Watch the flame with a relaxed gaze and bring your awareness to your breath. Notice any scent you can smell. It might be a fragranced candle or it might be the lingering smell of the match or the fire itself.
4. With every in-breath that you take, draw in the light, imagining it flooding your body with warmth, moving in you with every breath.
5. With every out-breath, breathe out the darkness. Let go of tension and any tightness in your body.
6. Repeat these breaths for a few minutes, watching the flickering flame, noticing how the light spreads outward into the darkness, and noticing how you feel as you invite the light within yourself.

When youre despairing and trying to reach for hope, you might feel anything but. Emotions can seem big and overwhelming. This exercise seems simple, but being able to regulate how you feel is a master skill that unlocks huge potential in your ability to weather the storms of life and keep your course set on hope. Examine what youre feeling through the following four steps of R.A.I.N.

1. Recognize the emotion. Put a label on it and a specific name to it.
2. Acknowledge the feeling. Allow it to be as it is. You might be used to pushing away negative feelings. What would it be like to let it be here for now?
3. Investigate the feeling in your body. Does it show up in how you hold yourself? Does it cause any tension or strain or stress within you when you really focus on this feeling?
4. Nurture the feeling. This means that you recognize it is with you now, but you are not this feeling. You dont need to overly identify with it as something that says something about you as a person or your situation.

Notice how you feel now. What are the contours of the edges of the feeling? It might be subtle, but you may notice the power of the emotion shift or other feelings entering the picture. Make room for them as they are, name them, and see if this process can help you allow them to dissolve.