S2 Be Better 2 · Series: Hope Can Set You Free

Hey team, I am back for another short form podcast, episode 2 of the Be Better series. Now today's episode is about hope, I'll get into it in a moment, but hope ain't a tactic is something that I've said often for the last couple of years, but with everything going on at the moment, I renege on that statement, and hope most certainly is a tactic, and hopefully, hopefully, good, and hopefully you'll agree with me after I read this little piece of writing to you guys, so here we go, hope can set you free. Hope you're all safe, healthy, happy and at home, unless you're an essential worker, and if you are, thank you very much for doing what you do.

Some new language has crept its way into our vernacular over the past few weeks, a number of times I've heard someone say unprecedented has been, well, unprecedented. Lockdown VGT, Virtus Family Zoom chats, social distancing, quarantine bingo, moves menu, 60 day Be Better challenge, COVID-19 protocols, Friday beers, webinars and lives, the world has changed over the last couple of months, our world has changed. Well, except for maybe Friday beers, that's at least been a very consistent bookmark in the week for a little while. This is our new normal, for at least the foreseeable future, hopefully by

now the when this is over chat has almost disappeared and our collective and individual focus has shifted towards making the most of this new chapter in our lives. I hope we can utilise this time for connection with our families, our communities and ourselves. Hope ain't a tactic, I was wrong, I was very, very, very wrong about that, hope most certainly is a tactic. We can hope for a better future, we can hope that we all come out the other side stronger than ever but hope must be followed through with action. To steal a couple of

lions from Shawshank Redemption, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies, fear can hold you prisoner but hope can set you free. It's natural to be scared and afraid when times are uncertain, yet ruminating on the fear does not move you forward, finding peace with the situation you're in and controlling what you can control will allow you to take the next step and that step is all you really need. The way I see it, whether it lasts for one month or six, we will remember this time for the rest of our lives, what do you want to remember the most?

Will it be how you scrolled for hours waiting and watching every news update from government officials you didn't even know existed or will it be the time you spent on improving your physical health and mental wellbeing or the time you spent learning that new skill that will hold you in good stead for the rest of your life? The time you spent connecting with your family in a way that wasn't possible back in your regular work week, what are you going to do with this time? What opportunities are you going to grab and run with? Hope for happiness, progress and love and act on it and it'll come.

That's it, just a little side note from this, please keep supporting local businesses, things are very, very tough at the minute for individuals and businesses alike, some of us have our dreams and more on the line so if you can, buy from the little guys instead of the big guys. I've no doubt that all the local businesses in our community will go well above and beyond for you. Just to finish, a little quote from Young Pueblo who is a spectacular poet and author, "It is okay to not have the answer, one of the bravest things you can do is boldly embrace the unknown.

Accept your fear and still continue to move forward. A clear mission does not always have a clear path." See you guys later.