Embracing Hope: My Intention for 2024

At the start of a new year, I always like to take a moment to consider what my intention is for the year ahead.? In a world inundated with challenges and uncertainties, hope emerges as the beacon that guides us through the darkest moments. It serves as the branches we cling to when everything else seems to crumble around us. As we step into 2024, I’m declaring hope as my intention for this year, a commitment to resilience and a refusal to succumb to despair.

The global landscape presents an array of formidable obstacles, from human conflicts to natural disasters, climate change, political unrest, and economic downturns. The constant barrage of information about these issues can easily lead to feelings of fear and helplessness. And we all have personal battles to contend with on top of this. However, hope is a crucial tool to confront these challenges head-on.

Hope is not merely a passive emotion; it is an active force that shapes our actions, emotions, reactions, relationships, and overall well-being. It encourages us to reach for something better, fostering a mindset that transcends adversity. In the face of global crises, maintaining hope becomes a revolutionary act—a commitment to the belief that positive change is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances.? For me, it started as a daily practise, allocating a specific time each day to hope.? I found a book that gave me hope and opened it on a random page to read every day.? My book: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.? I highly recommend it.

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One of the most significant impacts of hope lies in its ability to inform our decisions. When we approach life with hope, we are more likely to make choices that align with our aspirations and values. Whether on an individual or collective level, hope becomes the driving force propelling us towards solutions rather than dwelling on problems.? At Solutions, hope was a driving force behind our 2020 pivot of the Big Ideas Programme from a programme delivered wholly in person to exclusively online during the Covid Pandemic.? Those involved with Solutions for the Planet that year couldn’t help but get caught up in all the hope and excitement for the future.

Moreover, hope plays a pivotal role in our mental and physical health. Scientific studies have shown that individuals with a hopeful outlook exhibit lower levels of stress and anxiety, contributing to a more robust immune system. By cultivating hope, we fortify our resilience in the face of adversity, safeguarding our mental well-being and physical health.

Hope acts as a glue that binds individuals and communities together. Shared hope creates a sense of unity, fostering collaboration and mutual support. It enables us to weather the storms of life collectively, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and transformation.? Shared and active hope is embedded in the core of our mission at Solutions for the Planet to bring young people and businesses together to shape a more sustainable future.? Jane Goodall, a Solutions for the Planet shero says, “Hope,” Jane said, “is what enables us to keep going in the face of adversity. It is what we desire to happen, but we must be prepared to work hard to make it so.”? This is what I define as active hope or what we call at Solutions #HopeInAction

As the year unfolds, embracing hope as a theme for 2024 is not merely an optimistic gesture; it is a deliberate choice to confront the complexities of the modern world with resilience and determination. It is a commitment to believe in the possibility of positive change and to actively contribute to improving our lives and the lives of those around us.

Hope is not a passive sentiment but a dynamic force that propels us forward. It empowers us to confront challenges, big and small, with a mindset of resilience and possibility. By making hope our guiding theme, we not only navigate the uncertainties of the world but actively shape a future defined by optimism, growth, and collective well-being.

Next time, I will share why every business needs to centre young people. They're pretty hopeful too!

Yours with hope and gratitude,

Jen

Read more about our thoughts on constructive hope: https://solutionsfortheplanet.co.uk/blog-why-we-believe-in-constructive-hope/