You are a Sparkle of Hope

give hope to others by sharing your miniature joys

Daunting is the word that I would use to describe the mission of spreading hope to a world that has just emerged from a pandemic and has now plunged into explosions of armed conflicts. And, this is why we will take this mission apart into miniature pieces so we can give sparks of hope to our most immediate circles.

Photo by Tim Collins on Unsplash

In my previous post, I wrote about miniature sources of joy. It emphasizes the importance of mindfulness about our own needs and tuning our focus towards little joys of our day to day. Today, we will explore the idea further and think of creative and simple ways to share our joys with others.

As a people leader, not only do I ensure that my team members feel supported in doing their jobs but I also think about their mental well-being. I remind myself that I will never know the full-extent of what each individual member of my team is going through, especially in their personal lives, but I will give it my best effort to be a source of positivity and hope for them on any given day.

Gratitude

A simple note of genuine and heartfelt gratitude for any tiny deed that a person has done for us can make a lot of difference. Just like miniature joys, think about this as saying thank you for the littlest of things. Last Friday, I thanked someone for helping me respond to a question in a group-chat when I was busy multitasking. On a different day, I thanked someone when they took time to update me about progress without me asking for it. On another occasion, I thanked a colleague for agreeing with me and lending support when I was trying to make a point during a meeting.

Expressing our gratitude even for the simplest of things is an acknowledgement that the actions of those around us matter and it is a signal that they are seen and heard.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

How are you?

Remember the “Superman” song by Five for Fighting? Ten years ago, one line in that song resonated with me so much (and it still does) when I was going through a tough time and no one bothered to check on me because “they just know I can handle it”.

“Even heroes have the right to bleed…”

May we always remind ourselves that all of us are going through our own struggles and that none of it is easy, even if some of us appear super strong and super sturdy. May we be that person to check on one another to remind them that, they too, matter and that someone acknowledges the weight of things they carry even when they do not complain or say anything out loud.

Photo by Des Récits on Unsplash

Giving Space and Time

Photo by Gautam Krishnan on Unsplash

Whenever change happens, remember that people have different ways of coping and different speeds of processing information. Most of the time, the best thing to do is to give people time and space and allow them to decide how they want to use it. Some might want to talk and if that is the case, be the listening ear while reminding ourselves that a person’s perspective is valid because it is their lived reality. Others might want to pause and have time to think, and if so, give them the space and time to do what they need.

Today, I brought a cup of coffee for my nail technician

I visited a local cafe this morning before my nail appointment and I bought an extra cup of latte to-go for my nail technician at my regular salon. When I got there, I handed her the cup, she looked so surprised, and with a big smile on her face she said, “Is this for me?! You just made my day! It’s been a difficult morning and I didn’t have time to get my cup of coffee!”

new nails. photo by me.

When we think about spreading hope in this manner, it does not feel as daunting, does it?

How might we… be a sparkle of hope for our circles this week?

🔖 @Tag me or do a 🔄 restack with your sparkle ideas on a note! I would love to hear (read) from you.