Your Daily Dose of Hope

A hopeful reframe for the inner voice that expects the worst. What If It Does Work Out? A hopeful reframe for the inner voice that expects the worst. That inner voice—the one that jumps to worst-case scenarios, plays out every possible failure, and prepares you for disappointment “just in case”—it thinks it’s protecting you. But more often, it’s holding you back. What if you gave that voice a new...

Why your presence and potential matter, even when you don’t feel it. There are days when everything feels heavy—when you're tired, uncertain, or just plain stuck. On those days, it’s easy to believe the lie that you don’t matter or that your best days are behind you or that the problems of the world are so big and so complicated that there’s no way what you do can make a difference. I know this we...

Today we are celebrating small wins and progress over perfection. We live in a world that glorifies big leaps, overnight success, and “all or nothing” mindsets. But real change, the kind that sticks, rarely shows up all at once. It’s built one tiny shift at a time. What if today you aimed to be just 1% better? Not perfect. Not finished. Just a little more patient, a bit more focused, a tiny step c...

We often think of hope as something we either have or we don’t—like a mood that shows up when life is going well. But what if thought of hope differently? What if we didn’t connect it to how we feel at any given moment? What if we thought about it as something we can build, nurture, and strengthen over time? In today’s Daily Dose of Hope, I’m reframing hope as a practice that lives in our habits,...

In this episode of Your Daily Dose of Hope, guest host Teresa Cleveland shares a cherished memory with her granddaughter that became a lifelong lesson in hope and imagination. During a quiet afternoon together, Teresa playfully suggested to her then-four-year-old granddaughter that she could "kick the sky" while swinging. What began as a whimsical moment blossomed into a powerful metaphor. As Tere...

At first glance, hope and confidence might seem unrelated. But if we look a little closer, you’ll find they’re more deeply connected and together they help us bring our best selves forward. Hope says, “Things can get better.” Confidence says, “I can make things better.” Here’s how they work together: • Hope gives you the vision. Confidence helps you move toward it. • Hope lights the path. Confiden...

4 Questions to Ask Yourself When You Need to Feel More Hopeful When life feels heavy or uncertain, hope can feel just out of reach. But hope isn’t something we find outside ourselves—it’s something we can find within. One powerful way to do that is by asking the right questions. Here are four thoughtful prompts that can gently shift your perspective and open the door to possibility and hopefulness...

We can do hard things. I know that’s a popular phrase and the title of a podcast and book by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle. I first heard that a few years ago from a friend who was dealing with a health challenge and that’s what she told me. She said – we can do hard things. And she was right. What’s baked into that message is hope and resilience. It’s an acknowledgment that life i...

Today is a special day. Not because anything extraordinary is happening, but because you’re here. It’s another day that you get to show up and do the things that bring you joy, be with the people that you love and soak up the love they share with you. It’s easy to let days get away from us. It’s not that exciting to celebrate doing laundry or going to work, or any of the other things that make up...

Two powerful and very different books that explore the theme of hope are The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. While their styles and settings vary, both offer meaningful reflections on how hope can survive—even flourish—in the face of hardship, loneliness, and change.

1. “Rise Up” – Andra Day 2. “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles 3. “Keep Holding On” – Avril Lavigne

Here are five powerful quotes about hope—each offering a unique lens on what it means to hold on, rebuild, or begin again: 1. “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” — Desmond Tutu This reminds us that hope doesn’t require perfect conditions—it just requires a glimpse of possibility. Even in our darkest hours, the presence of hope means the light hasn’t disappe...

When hope feels lost, it can be hard to see a way forward—but even the smallest step can begin to shift your perspective. Here are three things you can do to begin reclaiming hope: 1. Name what you're feeling—without judgment. 2. Look for a single bright spot. 3. Ask for help or let someone in.

There are 4 fundamental truths about hope that you can always count on. That's today's Daily Dose of Hope.

Hope doesn’t always arrive with trumpets or grand announcements. More often, it shows up quietly—like the first light slipping through the curtains after a long night. You might recognize hope in a deep breath before a difficult conversation. In the moment someone offers kindness without expecting anything in return. In the way a child believes tomorrow will be better, just because. Sometimes hope...

Hope has holes in it’s pockets. It leaves little crumb trails that we, when anxious, can follow it. Hope secret: it doesn’t know the destination it only knows that all roads begin with one foot in front of the other. Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer I love the idea that there are crumb trails of hope don’t you? It’s such a great mental visual that reminds me we find hope when we look for it. There’s alwa...

Mental Health Awareness Month, observed in May, is celebrated to increase awareness about mental health and wellness, reduce stigma, and promote support for those affected by mental illness. It provides a national platform to educate the public, advocate for better policies, and encourage open conversations about mental health. I am not a mental health expert, but I know that hopefulness helps our...

I want to talk about recognizing what makes you feel hopeful, in good times, in everyday moments and yes, in those times when you are frustrated or sad or worried. We all know that our thoughts determine our feelings, but many times it feels the other way around. In moments of sadness or distress it can feel like my brain is in a loop of one worrying thought after another. There are legitimately c...

I recently read a book about a midwife from the 18th century who kept a journal and the entries were often 2 or 3 sentences at the end of each day it a shorthand summary style. Example: Cold today. Checked that Dolly’s fever is gone. I was home. And that made me think of modern day bullet journaling. I’ve tried it but it didn’t work for me but now I have a new idea and it could be a great recordin...

I’m sure you are familiar with the concept of your tomorrow self. I use this little trick when I really need to take care of something I’d rather avoid or do something I don’t want to do. Reminding myself that tomorrow Phyllis will be really happy it’s done, is a good way to stop procrastinating and get it done. It’s crazy how I can dread something that ends up not really taking that long. Lots of...

It’s okay to let go of always and never. Not much in life is that consistent. Sometimes I think our desire to have calm, predictable days and weeks leads us to fight against the always things that don’t show up or to not acknowledge the never things that do. Hope Beyond "Always" and "Never" In a world of uncertainty, we cling to absolutes. "This always happens" or "that never works out." These rig...

Today I want to do something a bit different. Each day I want to share something that will help you find hope or remain hopeful or possible share hope with someone else. It’s a renewable resource after all and we know it grows the more we share it with others. Today I want to suggest creating your personal hope list. Use your phone or something easy – don’t make this a big project. It’s best if yo...

3 years ago, my younger brother passed away. He’d been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer just 3.5 years earlier. I He never gave up hope. In fact, he packed a ton of living in those years even with 2 surgeries and regular chemo treatments. I miss him of course, and I wish he was still here and also appreciate his enthusiasm for life and his desire to be clear-eyed about what was most imp...

I know I’ve talked about this before, but here in Ohio where I live we are finally having some sunny days and temperature that make you want to kick off your boots and go grab your flip flops. And there’s nothing like it. I love it all and try to appreciate it all as well. Life has a seasonality to it too. I’m truly hopeful for what’s next. I hope you are too wherever you are – that you can look b...

I once heard someone refer to Dolly Parton as in American treasure and I think that feels right. she's is beloved by people in the country music world and her popularity has exceeded Way Beyond her humble Tennessee upbringing. I consider Dolly an ambassador of Hope because she’s always done things on her terms with thoughtfulness for others. In 2023 she published a beautiful book titled Behind the...