TUESDAY—HOPE FOR YOURSELF

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.
”

Pope John XXIII

We all make mistakes. We are all constantly learning how to do things better and doing the best we can with what we have.

These are not new ideas, of course, but we would think they were if we watched how most people treat themselves. I bet you would never say to your best friend (or even your enemies!) the sorts of things you say to yourself.

There are times in life when you may be in a very difficult situation that you cannot escape from or change immediately, but you can still have courage, consciousness, a plan, a dream and hope to remove yourself.

If you choose to operate with hope, everything changes. It’s magical, but then anytime you consciously bring God or light into your life, it’s magical.

Look at yourself with hope-full eyes. You will lose weight; you do have the strength to do this (whatever “this” is!) Things will improve. Things may not change in the time frame in which you want them to, because God may have another, much better plan for you. So be patient. And wait with a heart full of hope.

Think of all the aspects of your life and/or body with which you are unhappy or disappointed, such as your weight, appearance, smoking, addictions, finances, relationships. Examine how you view those aspects and what you say to yourself about them. Are you using fear-based judgments or hope-full thinking?

A hope-filled heart will give you strength and courage to continue the journey. (If your concern is an abusive relationship, be honest about the reality of things changing, and seek help wherever you can.)

Perhaps if you are at the “hope pole,” you won’t be driven to eat so much? Perhaps, just perhaps, fear was driving you to eat? Or if you have hope, you won’t fight as much or feel so maligned in relationships and life. Or with hope, you will have the courage and strength to give up smoking/ drinking/ addiction. Who knows what miracles will happen when you operate from hope!

Wait patiently, with positive expectations; take the right action with a heart of hope; feel gratitude, knowing that there is always hope for you—it’s called God’s Grace.

About