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Happy New Year! The first day of the year is such an exciting time! There are so many unknowns that lie head - so much potential, so many opportunities, so much hope. Perhaps it's a chance to do over, or do better, the things we set out to do in the previous year. It's an opportunity to continue reaching, continue dreaming, and continue growing into the best version of ourselves and the life we deserve.
Every 25 years, the Catholic Church declares a "Jubilee Year", which is tied to a specific theme. This Jubilee Year of 2025 has been assigned the theme of "Hope" by Pope Francis. While reading his message, I found several points to be relatable and easily applicable to all of our lives. And in doing so, was inspired to share that theme for our studio this year as well.
Firstly, what exactly IS hope? In his message, Pope Francis describes hope as, "the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring." Easy enough, right? Not necessarily. Despite having hope in our hearts, it is quite common for that "not knowing what the future may bring" to be met with anxiety and uncertainty. Rather than having trust that everything will be great, we may find ourselves nervous and apprehensive. Maybe where we once had unwavering faith and conviction, we instead find ourselves filled with hesitation and doubt. And while it may be natural to have these fluctuations of the mind, if left unchecked, it can lead to an unhealthy (and unhappy) pattern. Perhaps you, or someone you know, finds themselves overcome by a pessimistic and negative mindset, often discouraged or even cynical about life or the future. Maybe even finding it difficult to think of anything positive or worth celebrating, or that brings joy and happiness. Perhaps our theme this year can be an opportunity to renew ourselves in hope.
So how do we do this? Firstly, working to ground ourselves in the truth of love. There is unlimited power and strength in anchoring ourselves in the certainty that nothing and no on can ever separate us from God's love, or the love of your Higher Power, the Universe, or your True Self. The love of the divine in our lives is infinite and unwavering, and always looking to connect with us. When we ground ourselves in that truth, hope is not able to deceive or disappoint us. No amount of hardship or distress can change this truth - that our higher power is looking out for us and our best interests, and loves us wholly and unconditionally. And in knowing this truth, we are able to press forward in life during challenging times, clinging to the hope that lives in our hearts. That hope is our life-line, the stability and security among troubled waters, and that allows us to overcome anything that comes our way. It transcends all difficulties and inspires us to keep going, never losing sight of our Truest Self, and our ultimate and heavenly goal.
Yet perhaps it is easy to have hope and a positive outlook when everything is going great in our lives. But we know all too well that life isn't always smooth sailing. While filled with joys and triumphs, life also encounters trials, sorrows, and suffering. Everyone we know is suffering in some way, whether outwardly obvious, or deeply private and personal. But something that connects all suffering is resiliency. As people suffer, they find ways to persevere, to overcome, to survive. The Apostle Paul even writes, "We boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." (Rom 5:3-4).
And so these challenges also present us with an opportunity to practice a virtue closely linked to hope - patience. Patience is something that often feels impossible in the today's face-paced world. We want everything at our fingertips as soon as possible. We crave that instant gratification. We struggle to wait for that promotion or for that retirement date, to wait for our relationships to heal, to wait for our health to return, to wait for that "good thing to come." Heck, most of us even find it hard to wait for that red light to turn green! We find it more and more difficult to sit in the moment - or even to sit still for a moment. Instead, everything is fast, hectic, chaotic, and NOW. But many of us are already seeing how this pace comes at a price. It can cause impatience, anxiety, stress, short-temperedness, and ultimately unhappiness. Moreover, we blink and realize that life is passing us by. We aren't taking the time to be, to enjoy, to live.
If we can invite more of a sense of surrender - to the things, or the timelines, we cannot control, we can find ourselves embracing patience. We can practice appreciating the journey and all the important work that is happening along the way, even some that may not be made aware to us. Finding the grace in patience allows us to spring forth new and sustained hope. Together, patience and hope lay the foundation for our journey, in life and wellness, and serve as constant companions towards our goals. In the words of Pope Francis, "hope is not naive optimism but a gift of grace amid the realities of life."
How does "hope" work as a theme for our studio? People can have hope for so many different things in their lives. Perhaps hope to find more mobility and less stiffness in their bodies. Perhaps hope to relieve pain and discomfort they routinely face. Hope to be able to do more of the things they enjoy. Hope to lessen stress and anxiety, and promote peace in their minds and hearts. Hope to make more time for themselves and embrace self-care. Hope to meet new friends and build relationships. Hope to heal from trauma, grief, or suffering. Hope to deepen a sense of purpose in their lives. Hope to strengthen a sense of spirituality. Hope to grow and continue working towards being our best self. Hope to be that hope for someone else, and to have a positive impact in someone's life.
This year, we at Palmetto Yoga & Wellness strive to be beacons of hope for our community. We will continue to offer as much personalized service options and guidance for our students and clients as possible, so that each person can find hope in yoga and wellness to address their individual needs. We will continue to nurture an environment of inclusivity, support, and community, so that all feel welcome and a sense of belonging. We will continue to look for opportunities to bring informative and relevant wellness workshops to our community, to embrace and encourage wellness from many angles. We will continue to look for ways to contribute to our greater community through charity and philanthropic efforts, sharing and spreading hope to those in need.
We hope that you will continue to be a part of it, as our students and clients are the very heart of what makes Palmetto Yoga & Wellness so special. We hope that you will spread the word to your friends and family, so that our impact can reach others. We hope to continue to grow and thrive, and share the hope of wellness with as many people as possible. And we wish for you a year filled with blessings, health, and peace.
References:
Spes Non Confundit, the Bull of Indicition. Pope Francis.
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