"Hope"

“Hope” 

December 6, 2018  

As we begin the last month of 2018, as we approach the longest night on December 21^st, the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, as we set our sights on the coming year, may your heart and soul be filled with “Hope.”

I am not referring to hope in the sense of expectation, wishes and desires. Rather, I am looking to the spiritual sense of hope as trust and resilience.  

I believe I was born with “Hope” in my heart. When you read Chapter 8 in “Be Happy NOW!: Release and Rejoice”, where I share my story of tracing back my fears to when I was in my mother’s womb, perhaps you will understand why. When fear was all around me, when people were crying, when they did not put a name on my birth certificate, I was born. I came alive. In my age regression session with my guide, David Prudhomme, I was able to feel an amazing emotional release of deep-seeded fears and to connect with the “Hope” in my heart, which was always there. And, my-oh-my, what a beautiful, splendiferous ride it is.

In this note on “Hope”, I share three very different and equally inspirational pieces that have been impactful and motivational, in my life. First is the poem, “Hope” by the amazing Emily Dickinson. Second is the string of Centering Thoughts from the 21-Day Meditation series, “Hope in Uncertain Times,” by Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra.  Third is an audio, from the brilliant, Brendon Burchard, “How to Sustain Hope." These three pieces progress from a short and deeply inspiring metaphor on hope to a very deep introspective on the experience of shaping your lens of perception on hope, to a brief audio practicum on how you can bring hope into your day-to-day life.   

I invite you to dive in as deeply as your time and intention inspire you.

I am fascinated with the life and the poignant poetry of Emily Dickinson. She wrote this poem in 1862, over 150 years ago. At that time, age 32 years old, she lived in virtual seclusion. When Emily Dickinson passed away in 1886, her genius had not yet been fully recognized. I also learned she numbered rather than titled her poems. “The Manuscript Books of Emily Dickinson”, Belknap Press, 1981, is the only volume that keeps the original order of her poems intact. What we now know as "'Hope' Is The Thing With Feathers" is  #314.¹ 

 “Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm - 

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

                                              --Emily Dickinson

I pay homage to Emily Dickinson when I put quotations marks around the word “Hope.” I am drawn to the emphasis it brings, although there is no generally accepted reason behind why she added this punctuation emphasis. My interest in nature and in birding, specifically, draws me to the metaphor of the bird. The words that jump out at me are: sing; never stops; sweetest; storms that could abash; warm; extremity; never asked a crumb. WOW. I am inspired. Hope wells up in my heart.

I would love to know how this poem makes you feel.  

Moving on, let us consider the 21-Day Meditation, “Hope in Uncertain Times” by Oprah Winfrey and Deepak Chopra. I listened to this series when it first came out in 2017. When I was researching and preparing to write this Blog, I purchased the Streaming. Here is the link: Hope in Uncertain Times  

Every time I listen to these meditations, they reveal something new to me -- either a new insight or a new and deeper level of awareness.

Here are the Centering Thoughts for each of the 21-day meditations in  “Hope in Uncertain Times”:

1. Hope is my source of strength.
2. The power of hope is here every day.
3. Hope makes me strong and secure.
4. In hope, I am fearless.
5. I have every hope in the world.
6. I trust in my core at every moment.
7. I find reason to hope in every situation.
8. Today I activate my hope.
9. I trust in life because I trust in myself.
10. Being at peace is my greatest strength.
11. I meet any situation with loving kindness.
12. Hope tells me anything can be transformed.
13. My choices uphold and support my life.
14. My future unfolds with hope and joy.
15. I see the hopeful inner child in everyone.
16. I bond with others to give them hope.
17. I bring hope to the present moment.
18. My hope is grounded in deeper reality.
19. I offer hope from simplicity of my heart.
20. Every day I move towards forgiveness.
21. In every moment I free myself.

When we contemplate hope in the deepest spiritual sense, we are shaping our lens of perception. I think of it as turning on the windshield wipers on my glasses. Compassion, kindness, loving kindness, tolerance, freedom, being present, strength and security, resilience, joy and trust are all inextricably intertwined in seeing the world with “Hope” in your heart.

I believe this meditation series will enrich and increase your feeling and awareness of “Hope.” I invite you to join me in learning from these meditations.

For the third and final experience, I invite you to listen to this audio by Brendon Burchard: How to Sustain Hope.

I am closing with this practical and motivational sound bite to get us pumped to close the year strong and to start the New Year fresh, with conviction and “Hope.” Brendon talks through four pointers: keep perspective; create a plan; stay the course, be persistent; and be patient, with others and yourself.  He delivers this advice with terrific energy, passion, joy and gratitude. Go for it!  

I am honored to call Brendon a mentor as a Certified High Performance Coach^™ and credentialed to lead people through our 12-week programs for both High Performance Habits and The Charge.  

I am signing out with my last Blog for 2018 to take time for my own planning and preparation to start the New Year fresh and fully energized and engaged. May you have a joyous December. My best wishes for 2019. Let’s bring the joy and hope to all our endeavors and relationships!

 With heartfelt gratitude, thank you for joining me on this journey.

 Till next time,

  May you be happy now and always, Alison 

1. Emily Dickinson, "'Hope' is the Thing with Feathers" from The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, ed., Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Copyright © 1951, 1955, 1979, 1983 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.

P.S. Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends and family and business associates. Send this link and invite them to hit the Subscribe button on my website: www.AlisonLanzaFalls.com.

P.P. S.: Here is a link from my website to preview and purchase our book, “Be Happy NOW!” https://www.alisonlanzafalls.com/p/be-happy-now