What gives you hope?

[lesbiaphrodite]

Fall in love with something or someone. That is the truest, most optimistic, hopeful thing to do that I know of.

 

[MagicaPractica]

Well, my childhood was not so hopeful. It was rather bad. Things got better once I was out on my own. Somewhere along the way things went awry again. This past year I've been relearning how to be hopeful. Three books have helped me a lot; The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay and The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life by Martha Beck.

Every monring that I do my little affirmations from Louise, my morning pages from Julia then work through my exercises from Martha, I feel myself become more hopeful and motivated to take charge of my life. I'm also more relaxed. A half an hour makes an amazing change. It gets rid of the negativity for me and fills me with hope.

I'm currently working on an essay for Lit. about the three books.

 

[AllardChardon]

Working on projects does give people hope. One hope I have is to become a published writer, no matter how frustrating the process may be. It is the most daunting enterprise I have ever encountered in life. But I have not lost hope. I am full of grit and stubborness and I am searching for my niche with all the tenacity it takes to climb this beanstalk.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Working on projects does give people hope. One hope I have is to become a published writer, no matter how frustrating the process may be. It is the most daunting enterprise I have ever encountered in life. But I have not lost hope. I am full of grit and stubborness and I am searching for my niche with all the tenacity it takes to climb this beanstalk.

I believe you are in the right place for that. It's a goal we all share. I've got one chapter in an anthology . . .

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Another thing that gives me hope is the nature of desire. When I desire someone, it gives me hope of what may come. Desire is the opposite of death/nihilism in my view. So, I love it.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

Hope is an eternal spring that I drink from nature, from the laugh of my child, the smile of my husband and friends, from passion and love, and the kind words of others. That hope never dries up not even when I am dark. It is there to pull me back up right and breath life back in my soul.

 

[neonlyte]

Tomorrow.

 

[Nirvanadragones]

Go home and write the story again. Keep writing it because one day she will read it. You can change the story. You are the story.

No date line, no meridian, no gas-burnt stars, no transit of the planets, not the orbit of the earth nor the sun's red galaxy, tell time here. Love is keeper of the clocks.

I took off my watch and dropped it into the water.
Time take it.
Your face, your hands, the movement of your body . . .
Your body is my Book of Hours.
Open it. Read it.
This is the true history of the world.

Jeanette Winterson: The Powerbook

 

[AllardChardon]

Yes, re-inventing ourselves or at least giving ourselves a good editing is essetntial to lighten the load and find the hope. Thanks for all the great words of encouragement.

 

[Guest]

Working on projects does give people hope. One hope I have is to become a published writer, no matter how frustrating the process may be. It is the most daunting enterprise I have ever encountered in life. But I have not lost hope. I am full of grit and stubborness and I am searching for my niche with all the tenacity it takes to climb this beanstalk.

I like this. Positive aspirations.

Of my husband and I, I'm the more pessimistic. He's Pollyanna, if you can believe it. He takes people at their word, I'm less trusting. (It means I cannot delegate for shit, is what it means. Hopeless.)

But I am stubborn. And I'm tenacious. And maybe it is those things that will finally propel me where I wish to be with my writing.

 

[AllardChardon]

An agent once suggested that all new writers put their manuscript in a drawer for three months and do not look, touch or edit it in any way. That way, you will see what the editor will see. Flaws that need fixing.

I thought at the time, are you crazy? Leave it alone for three months. I would die if I tried that.

Certain circumstances in my life made me put my manuscript down for 6 weeks. Half the suggested time allotment. But I understood perfectly what she meant. I noticed things that did not flow and corrected them. Editing is essential to being prepared for a professional to look your work over but over-editing will drive you crazy (if you are not crazy already). These are my words of advice to newbies like me.

Allard

 

[voluptuary_manque]

An agent once suggested that all new writers put their manuscript in a drawer for three months and do not look, touch or edit it in any way. That way, you will see what the editor will see. Flaws that need fixing.

I thought at the time, are you crazy? Leave it alone for three months. I would die if I tried that.

Certain circumstances in my life made me put my manuscript down for 6 weeks. Half the suggested time allotment. But I understood perfectly what she meant. I noticed things that did not flow and corrected them. Editing is essential to being prepared for a professional to look your work over but over-editing will drive you crazy (if you are not crazy already). These are my words of advice to newbies like me.

Allard

Or you shorten the process by finding some kind but critical soul here on Lit and let them look at it. When I finally learned that, I started getting 'H's. Aha, says I, This is a good idea.

 

[rengadeirishman]

I take my hope from comfortably accepting my mortality.

For now i live, i love and i laugh and lay back with a cold libation.

My time will come, and I can never know the hour. Until that time there's fair too much to enjoy about life to despair. Things will get better, or they won't either way whatever will be, will be

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Vietnam taught me that as long as you have your health, every other problem is an inconvenience.