It’s been one of those weeks where the world feels heavy, headlines pour into my veins like sludge, and even my beloved morning rituals seem to roll their eyes at me. (side note: I am back on my periodic social media and news fast).

I’ve been thinking about this: how does a person practice good emotional hygiene, especially as a leader or coach, when energy is low and the future looks foggy at best? How do we keep fostering hope when despair feels louder?

I am a do-er and have a solid set of regular and daily practices. Meditation, journaling, tarot, astrology, cultural rituals, NYC adventures, cuddles with my loves (kids, dog, friends and love LOVE). Recently, inspired by Inciting Joy by Ross Gay, I have been paying attention to mundane joys — my daily matcha latte, my dog's first walk of the morning, the bodega guy who speaks my native tongue ("We Kin!"), card games with my mother. But sometimes my tarot card says “rest,” and I tell it to mind its own business. Or I pull my natal birth chart and try to blame everything on Saturn. (Sorry, Saturn, it’s not all your fault). And sometimes, even after journaling, meditating, sage-ing every corner of my apartment (including the toaster), and talking it out with my therapist and my partner (not the same person) I’m still left holding this heaviness.

How do I hold myself then? I am thinking:

a. Maybe it’s simply giving myself grace?

b. Maybe it’s whispering: “Of course you feel this way. The world is tender, and so are you?” (double grace)

c. Maybe it’s letting tomorrow try again? (triple grace + I am so grateful!)

For now, I’m practicing holding myself the way I hope the world could: gently, with room for both grief and giggles. Hope, as I am learning, isn’t always an in your face bright torch. Perhaps, it is simply that quiet voice inside you that says, "Let’s keep going." After all, what else is there to do?
Thoughts?