I know I have not been on here in a while. I have had a busy year with the Louisville Book Festival and the creation of four more books. But that was not my big goal. My big goal was to finish a book and apply for something monumental. Something life-changing. The thing is, I have applied four times before (in 2020, 2021, 2023, and again in 2024) and been denied every time. If I am being honest. I was never really ready till now. Still, it takes a lot to dream. Like a lot a lot. It huts to put yourself out there and say “take a chance on me”.
I’ve been beating myself up and questioning if I am asking for too much. But I know that this statement is one example of a too big voice that is designed to keep me playing small. I detest a small life. So here I am again, in 2025, putting my heart and what feels like my whole breath out there again. Exposing my innermost vulnerabilities… the oldest daughter who felt forgotten about, the kid never picked to play, the young girl who received a thousand messages that dreaming was never really meant for her.
But it is.
So, I went to the shipping store today and sent my carefully wrapped box off in to the world with a kiss and a prayer. When I came home, I sat on my porch and I looked out at the trees and whispered to God, “I know you have something special for me. I know I am not asking for too much because you told me to bring my requests before you—all of them. So God I’m asking, will you please reserve this dream for me?” And as if timed for a movie, the sun shone down through the trees. An answer. I am okay. I don’t have to fear dreams or hope. Hope is powerful. Hope is reserved for me. And it is reserved for you too. Believe that.
I am praying for a blessing. You may be praying for air. I realize that in times of heartbreak, overwhelm, or exhaustion, hope can feel like a distant dream. You may wonder:
“How do I keep going when everything feels heavy?”
“How do I find light when all I see is the dark?”
The truth is, hope is not something we stumble into. Hope is something we choose—even when it is dark.
Perhaps especially when it is dark.
And that choice—quiet, powerful, and deeply personal—is what changes everything.
What It Means to Choose Hope
To choose hope means to look at your reality honestly—and still believe in something more. You have to decide, even when it is painful, to work on your hoping skills.
It doesn’t mean pretending everything’s okay. It means believing that you are okay enough to take one more step forward.
Hope is not a feeling. Hope is a skill.
And it’s a skill you can develop. It’s a decision you make every day, often in small, unseen moments, when you whisper to yourself:
“I’m not giving up.”
5 Ways to Choose Hope Right Now
- Acknowledge What’s Real
Choosing hope doesn’t mean ignoring your pain. In fact, it begins with naming it. Say:
“This is hard. This hurts. But this isn’t the end.”
Owning your truth is not weakness—it’s strength. And it’s the first step to healing.
- Speak Life Over Yourself
Words are powerful. Your brain listens to what you repeat. Replace thoughts like “I can’t do this” with:
- “I’m figuring this out.”
- “This is hard, but I’m still here.”
- “I choose hope, even if it’s just a flicker today.”
Hope grows when we feed it with language that affirms our worth.
- Remember: The Future Is Not Fixed
One bad chapter doesn’t define the whole story. The life you want to live may not look possible right now—but that doesn’t mean it isn’t. Hope gives you permission to imagine again. Even when you’re unsure. Even when you’re scared.
Ask: “What if it works out?”
Let that question become your starting point.
- Take a Tiny Step Forward
Sometimes hope is just brushing your teeth. Making the call. Drinking the water. Saying “no” to what’s breaking you and “yes” to one small thing that builds you.
Action creates movement. Movement creates momentum. Momentum creates change.
- Surround Yourself With What Sparks Hope
Choose music, books, people, and environments that uplift you. Turn your phone background into an affirmation. Post sticky notes on your mirror. Light a candle that reminds you of peace.
Build your space like a garden—where hope can grow even on the hardest days.
Choosing Hope Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait
You don’t need to be a naturally positive person to choose hope. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Hope is not reserved for the lucky, the privileged, or the healed.
Hope is for the tired. The doubting. The grieving. The starting-over.
It’s for you.
Every single day, you have the power to say:
“I choose to believe that this is not the end of my story.”
And the more you choose it, the more real it becomes.
Final Thought: You Can Start Again—Today
Even if yesterday was dark, today can be a turning point.
Even if your hope feels small, it’s enough to get you through the next moment.
You are allowed to believe in joy again, in healing again, in yourself again.
So, take the breath. Make the choice.
Send the box off with a kiss and a prayer.
Believe that light you see is the sign you’ve been waiting for.
Hope is waiting for you to say yes.