- This topic has 8 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 3 weeks, 3 days ago by Omodara Olanrewaju.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on hope. I’m at that age where many of my friends are having kids, and it’s made me think more frequently about the future. With every sad headline and heartbreaking event around me, I sometimes catch myself shuddering at what’s to come.
That’s why a recent Women Emerging podcast really struck me. There, Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, reminded me that hope isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s something you cannot afford to live without if you want to make change happen. And that makes much sense, you must have hope to do anything worthwhile – you must believe that things can be better.
She talked about the things she does to revive hope in her heart when she feels hopeless; she looks back at moments when change felt impossible yet still happened, like seeing less privileged children’s lives transformed due to certain events she’s been a part of.
It reminded me that it’s far too easy to get sucked into despair, but hope is the anchor and the compass that keeps us moving forward. I’d love to hear from you: how do you revive hope when you feel hopeless, whether in leading at work or at home? I’ll be reading.
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Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on hope. I’m at that age where many of my friends are having kids, and it’s made me think more frequently about the future. With every sad headline and heartbreaking event around me, I sometimes catch myself shuddering at what’s to come.
That’s why a recent Women Emerging podcast really struck me. There, Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, reminded me that hope isn’t a nice-to-have; it’s something you cannot afford to live without if you want to make change happen. And that makes much sense, you must have hope to do anything worthwhile – you must believe that things can be better.She talked about the things she does to revive hope in her heart when she feels hopeless; she looks back at moments when change felt impossible yet still happened, like seeing less privileged children’s lives transformed due to certain events she’s been a part of.
It reminded me that it’s far too easy to get sucked into despair, but hope is the anchor and the compass that keeps us moving forward. I’d love to hear from you: how do you revive hope when you feel hopeless, whether in leading at work or at home? I’ll be reading. -
Yes, definitely.
Hope is what drives us to act: the hope of seeing a project come to reality, of seeing a person flourish.
We can only have real impact over a few things, and in many areas we can only accept, resign ourselves, or even sometimes suffer from it.
What helps me most to stay positive in my leadership and motherhood is to clearly distinguish between what is within my power and what is not.
To put all my thoughts and energy into the things where I can really make a difference.
I cannot prevent my child from getting sick, but I can make sure that the day off I spend with them is wonderful.
I cannot predict that a project will not be subsidised, but I can support the people behind it so that they can congratulate themselves on the work they have done and look to the future with optimism.
The things we can have an impact on are often relational: creating an emotion, doing a favour, taking the time to listen, saying thank you. Some may find this ridiculous, but I deeply believe that giving time and attention to others is also, in some way, transforming them. And therefore also changing the world.
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Such a beautiful and much-needed reflection, Omodara. I completely resonate with what Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro shared that hope isn’t just a comforting idea, but a necessity for transformation. My life, in many ways, has been a mirror of hope itself — despite all the challenges, it’s hope that has kept me grounded and moving forward. For me, I keep hope alive by grounding myself in stories of courage especially the young girls and women I work with who continue to rise, dream, and act despite difficult circumstances. Their resilience reminds me that hope is not passive; it’s something we practice through small, consistent acts of belief in ourselves and others.
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Such a thoughtful reflection, Omodara.
I really connected with the idea that hope is not just an emotion but an essential part of creating change. In my own journey, hope has been the steady force that kept me moving through uncertain times (PS: I had my fair share). I try to keep it alive by focusing on stories of resilience, especially from women and young people who continue to move forward despite challenges. Their strength reminds me that hope grows through action, courage, and faith in better days ahead. -
I love that you mentioned the idea of bringing up children in this seemingly hopeless world.
For me one of my biggest reasons for everything is my son. I am hopeful because I want to create a whole life of hope for me. For me that looks like encouraging and supporting all the things that I see that he loves and or is good at especially helping him see other things he’s no so good at as opportunities for improving, and if he reallyh doesn’t genuinely like them – to try something else. -
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Whenever I feel hopeless, I remind myself that every day I wake up above the ground is a blessing in itself.
There was a time I was hospitalised in a government facility, after having grown accustomed to private healthcare and its comforts. Being there exposed me to people facing severe illnesses, yet what stood out most was the level of hope and faith they carried their belief that they would get better and return home. Witnessing that shifted something in me. It reminded me that even in the hardest situations, hope still exists.
So no matter what I face, I remind myself that I am neither the first nor the last to walk this path. I choose not to be hard on myself. I wait, I trust the process, and I believe that in time, everything will fall into place.
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