No matter what, I hold on to hope.

Life has been full lately, in mostly good ways, but I haven’t taken the time I should to reflect and stay consistent with my routine. A few things that pull me through are being conscious of the choices I make and holding on to hope.

Some days do feel overwhelming, and I want to be honest about that. But those days pass, and we get to decide how we step into the next one with what we’ve learned. Even a small measure of hope makes that process lighter. For that, I am grateful. For that, I can even find joy.

The world feels heavy right now, and joy or hope can be difficult to reach in the middle of destruction and uncertainty. But it is not only okay to hold them, it is necessary. For ourselves. For the people around us. For the possibility of a better world.

It is human to feel opposite emotions at the same time. That is where strength and power live. In the choice to feel it all. In the way we move through it. In the decision to still find moments of joy, even in the darkest of times.

So today, choose hope. Choose joy. Choose to carry both and keep moving forward.