It’s often said that life and death are in the power of the tongue.
In other words, we are who we say we are. I never realised how true that was until I spent time watching and listening to sad news as a stay-at-home mum through different news platforms. The more I listened the more I believed it and the more I believed, the more it had an impact on me.
During that period, I came to learn the effects of what we consume and the impact it can have on us. Certain stories have the ability to rid us of our courage and our dreams for a great future. Stories that are primarily produced to bring about fear because as the saying goes if it bleeds it leads. It’s what people tune into. It’s what drives ratings. But my question is, at what cost?
I think it’s time we changed the narrative of traditional news stories to positive, uplifting and inspiring stories.
Messages of hope have the ability to ignite in us a spirit and a strength to pursue our dreams in ways we never imagined. I think back to the amazing stories I have been so blessed to tell. Stories of courage, survival, resilience and persistence which I feel have taught me so much about the human spirit and what it means to have hope in the face of adversity. I love the power of storytelling. At its best, you watch an inspiring story and it not only challenges you to take action, but also changes you for the better and in so doing it creates a community of like-minded people who are doing good and making a difference in the lives of others.
Hope is such a vital ingredient in our lives, particularly now when the world around us seems so grim and the temptation to give up or give in even before we’ve started is stronger than ever. Hope is the fuel that keeps us going. It’s what allows us to trust that better things lie ahead of us and that the best is yet to come. Hope is what makes us work hard because we believe our toil shall bear us fruit.
By sharing stories of hope from people within our communities, people who are doing extraordinary things, we are reminded that there are good people all around us making a difference in the lives of others. That there are those amongst us willing to put others before themselves through acts of service, kindness and courage. So what can you do to instill a sense of hope in the life of someone else today and everyday?Be it a family member, a friend, a colleague or a complete stranger.
The choice is yours to make.