When the world around us feels chaotic, unfair, or overwhelming, it is tempting to give up and disengage. But in these moments, we also can embrace practices that empower us to shape a better future. Here are seven transformative practices to help us navigate difficult times and move toward better tomorrows.
Each of these practices can shift our inner world and, through us, impact the world around us. They are not about achieving perfection or reaching a final destination. Instead, they are practices we continually return to, like meditation or yoga, guiding us toward growth for ourselves and those around us.
1. Accept Reality
We can’t change what we’re unwilling to acknowledge. Denial may seem like a form of strength – “This is not right,” “How can this be in this day and age,” “I can’t believe anyone would do that.” However, it prevents us from engaging with what’s happening to create change. Accepting reality doesn’t mean approving it; it means seeing it clearly. For example, if you don’t accept a new diagnosis, you won’t take the steps needed to address it. If you are unwilling to acknowledge systemic inequities, you can’t work to change them. As psychologist and meditation teacher Tara Brach says in Radical Acceptance, “Do not argue with reality.” What is a reality you have a hard time acknowledging? What could shift if you accepted it?
2. Cultivate Hope
Hope is more than fatalistic optimism (things will get better) or pessimism (things won’t get better). Shane Lopez, author of Making Hope Happen, defined hope as the belief that tomorrow can be better than today and that we can play a part in making it so. This dual definition of hope as belief + agency is key. As Maria Popova observed, “Critical thinking without hope is cynicism, and hope without critical thinking is naïveté.” By cultivating hope, we commit to seeing what is and taking action toward better tomorrows. How can tomorrow be better than today? What actions can you take toward making that happen?
3. Imagine Possibilities
To work toward a better future, we first need to be able to imagine it. Curiosity opens the door to envisioning new possibilities—for ourselves, our families, our communities, and the world. When we can imagine a better reality, we create a vision to guide our actions and aspirations. What new possibilities can you envision?
4. Claim Agency
One of the most powerful learnings of my life was realizing life becomes magical when you let go of as much control as possible over what is beyond you and simultaneously claim as much agency as possible over what is within you. This practice shifts our focus from what’s happening to us to who we want to be (state) and how we want to act (do). By letting go of what we can’t control and embracing what we can, we empower ourselves to make meaningful changes. The only thing we can control in this world is ourselves, yet many of us spend inordinate amounts of time and energy trying to control things beyond us, including the weather, the news, our partner, our boss, and more. What is beyond you that you can let go of trying to control? What is within you that you can claim more agency over?
5. Embrace Responsibility
Once we recognize where we can make a difference, we must embrace responsibility. I love the Conscious Leadership Group‘s encouragement to “take 100% responsibility, nothing more and nothing less.” This means fully owning our words, actions, and inactions while not taking responsibility for others. It’s a practice of integrity that keeps our focus clear and our energy where it belongs. What would “taking 100% responsibility, nothing more and nothing less” help clean up for you?
6. Take Action
Inner work is vital, but if it doesn’t lead to action, we stay disengaged and safe from mistakes and criticism. What are you ready to do? Whether it’s having a difficult conversation, implementing a change you want to see in the world in your workplace, setting a new example for your kids, donating, or changing a habit, taking action translates inner growth into real-world impact. What is the next action you could take to help empower better tomorrows?
7. Reflect for Learning
None of us is perfect, and that’s okay. We’re not striving for perfection; we’re striving for progress. Every step in our journey—success, failure, or anything in between—is an opportunity to learn. Brazilian educator Paulo Freire called this cycle of action and reflection “praxis.” By reflecting on our experiences, we gain insights that inform future actions. What can you learn from previous choices and behaviors that inform your next steps?
Engaging with These Practices
These practices can be integrated into our lives in a variety of ways:
- On our own: Through meditation, prayer, journaling, or other personal practices.
- With support: Working with a coach, therapist, or mentor or engaging in reflective relationships.
- In community: Building connections with neighbors, colleagues, friends, family, or online groups.
Together, these practices help us create better lives for ourselves and a ripple effect that can transform the world around us.
