Hope doesn’t mean you’re ignoring all the horrible things out there in the world. Hope means you’re finding a way to keep functioning in your life, which might even make you better-equipped to help make things ever-so-slightly better. The next time you begin to spiral down, try one of these perspective-changing strategies.
Reread your favorite uplifting novel from when you were a kid.
I’m telling you, there are few moods a couple of hours with Anne of Green Gables (or something like that) can’t soothe. The sincerity, the earnestness, the simplicity. The belief that all problems are fixable with the right attitude—remember how Anne wins over countless curmudgeonly adults with her optimism? No matter what kind of book you’re reading, things are generally solved by the end of it—that’s how plots work, after all. It’s a good reminder that things do, eventually, get better.
Browse through these beautiful oil paintings of junk food.
It’s like having a really good snack but zero calories or greasy tummy ache. This painter has turned the mundane and even downright ugly into something beautiful—and so, it stands to reason, can you.
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Review your circles.
My friends and family are sick to death of hearing me say, “circle of control, circle of concern!” But whenever I’m overwhelmed by the world, it works. Popularized by Stephen Covey (the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People guy), the concept behind the circles has been in existence since the Stoic philosophers of ancient Greece. The idea is to think about what concerns you—which is probably, if you’re a sentient human, a lot of big stuff, from war overseas to the melting ice caps. Inside of that circle is the circle of influence, or the stuff you can maybe kind of do something about—the local school board elections, say. The rummage sale at your church. And then, inside of that, is the circle of control. This is the stuff you actually are in charge of. How you live your life. How you treat the people around you. How you show up at work, at school, in your family, with your friends. This is the only stuff you really, really have control over. So if you’re feeling despair about something ginormous that you can’t really change, remind yourself that your feelings are valid, but that this isn’t an area to obsess over. What do you actually have control over? Focus there.
Draw a tree.
Everyone can grow and change and learn new skills and hone their appreciation for the wonder of the natural world. Even people who can’t draw. Promise.
Talk to a kid about their favorite animal facts.
Seriously, for some mysterious reason, elementary-age children seem to all have countless amazing bits of animal trivia at their fingertips. Did you know the oldest cat ever was named Creme Puff and lived to be 38? Well, my fifth grader did. It’s not that it’s the next generation’s job to cheer us up about the world (yikes!), but it’s a relief to remember that every once in a while, the kids are alright.
Update your phone’s operating system.
I know that sounds boring, but it’s always fun to have new emojis and increased capabilities, and on iOS 16, you can unsend texts. Great news for those terribly awkward moments when you realize you’ve sent your parent something you meant to send your partner. Look, we’re all making mistakes and correcting them and getting better all the time—it’s true of operating systems, and it’s true of us clumsy humans, too.
Take a nap.
Yes, it’s advice your mother would give you, but you know what? Mothers know what they are talking about. Everything seems more dire when you’re worn out. Here are my personal rules for a perfect nap: First, drink coffee (I know! Just trust me, it’s a thing). Then, open window shades and curtains—as cats and dogs know, sunbeams make for quality naps. Play some relaxing music, get on top of your covers with a special napping blanket (under-the-cover-naps are only for the feverish), and nap for 20 minutes. I’m willing to bet you’ll wake up better able to put things in perspective.
Microdose a little awe.
Moonwalk through the awe-inspiring images from the James Webb telescope. There is something bigger out there.
Call or write to your representatives, local or national, and urge them to fight for the environment.
I know this is one of those huge things that seem unsolvable and hopeless, but it’s literally not: The UN has found that the world’s air pollution could be rapidly cleaned up if enough governments adopted the WHO’s air quality guidelines. That’s good to hear, right? It’s really not too late—it almost never is. And taking some small step toward action can really aerate your mood.
Pile on topping.
Just as it did in the '90s, fro-yo still works. My son was having a dreary day full of mundane disappointments, when he asked if frozen yogurt was a real thing, or just a joke they made online. We made a beeline for one of those places where they have way too many flavors of soft-serve frozen yogurt, and I let the kids pile their blobs with chocolate chunks, marshmallows, peanut butter cups, sprinkles, coconut shavings, butterscotch chips, and other tooth-curdling confections. The frozen yogurt still tastes like, mostly, nothing. But with a pile of crazy toppings? It’s a masterpiece. Just like life.
Ask a friend to text you a picture of something that’s making them happy these days.
People love to have an excuse to share about their kids/new lover/houseplant win/exercise routine/bearded dragon, and it’s legitimately cheering to hear about this sort of thing. Take it from me, someone who just got texted a photo essay about the dumbest but cutest household chickens in all of Iowa.
