What would be in your Hope Box :) ?

[cvalier26]

Hi
As some of you may have read, I recently spent a little time hospitalized in the intensive care unit, and following that I have a mental health nurse for three sessions to discuss the difficult environment it was.

I had my second meeting today.

We discussed the feeling of hopelessness when you see so much suffering around you :

We talked about creating a « Hope Box » : mine will be the pink basket top left !

It is a box where you put all your reasons to have hope for the present and future : pictures of your loved ones, places you would love to visit someday, favorite quotes, even favorite scents (like a scented candle you can light when you wish) . Lots of possibilities .

 

[cvalier26]

So, I have started making mine, slowly :
- pictures of Sydney and Amsterdam
- pictures of a dog and cat breed I would like to own in the future (Cavalier King Charles and Ragdoll)
- Picture of my teddy bunny
- scented candle seaside
- I can’t draw so stick figure drawing of my own little family, that I hope to be able to create someday

 

[cvalier26]

Please do share your favorite inspirational quotes, if you have some

 

[margauxmines]

What a lovely idea! I hope that putting this box together will bring you much joy

Mine would have:

• Photos of my loved ones—my parents and my boyfriend
• As many photos of our cats that I can find, those still with us and those who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge
• Photos of Strasbourg, where I've left my heart—I hope I can go back one day... They would include a photo of me and my host « maman » when I stayed there, photos of our house and garden, Notre-Dame de Strasbourg at sunset, La Petite France, and photos from when I did the Route des Vins
• Two quotes handwritten, both quotes from my father: Embrace your epiphany and I don't believe in God, but I believe in people

 

[missy]

I love this idea and I sort of already have a box like this.
In it I have all the love letters my husband wrote me when we were dating.
All the cards he ever sent me up to the present.

What I would add to this box:
Photos of my parents, sister, and nieces
Photos of all my furry babies past and present
Photos of Greg and me

My favorite bottle of perfume...Tihota

A bit of the sand and maybe the sea if I can bottle it.
So I can smell it each day and be reminded of the beauty of the ocean.
And if we can take a video with us I would take one of the sea so I can see it in action whenever I want to.

My favorite movies.

My favorite inspirational quotes.

"Die with memories, not dreams"

"Everything you can imagine is real"

"I take each day, one day at a time"

My favorite music.

The Nutcracker
The Four Seasons
Frank Sinatra
Chet Baker
Billie Holiday
Louis Armstrong
The Eagles
Anything from the 70s and 80s.

I'm sorry I started listing music because there's just too much I love.
But I would take all the music I could with me in that box.
Is there a size limit on this box? Because mine is going to be HUGE.



I have a lot of hopes and dreams what can I say?

With all the suffering in this world I find I must compartmentalize to get through each day.
It's the only way for this empath to be able to survive.
One day at a time.
One hour at a time when that gets to be challenging.

 

[cvalier26]

I love this idea and I sort of already have a box like this.
In it I have all the love letters my husband wrote me when we were dating.
All the cards he ever sent me up to the present.

What I would add to this box:
Photos of my parents, sister, and nieces
Photos of all my furry babies past and present
Photos of Greg and me

My favorite bottle of perfume...Tihota

A bit of the sand and maybe the sea if I can bottle it.
So I can smell it each day and be reminded of the beauty of the ocean.
And if we can take a video with us I would take one of the sea so I can see it in action whenever I want to.

My favorite movies.

My favorite inspirational quotes.

"Die with memories, not dreams"

"Everything you can imagine is real"

"I take each day, one day at a time"

My favorite music.

The Nutcracker
The Four Seasons
Frank Sinatra
Chet Baker
Billie Holiday
Louis Armstrong
The Eagles
Anything from the 70s and 80s.

I'm sorry I started listing music because there's just too much I love.
But I would take all the music I could with me in that box.
Is there a size limit on this box? Because mine is going to be HUGE.



I have a lot of hopes and dreams what can I say?

With all the suffering in this world I find I must compartmentalize to get through each day.
It's the only way for this empath to be able to survive.
One day at a time.
One hour at a time when that gets to be challenging.

That is so sweet for the letters

I love your hope box ideas , I have a seaside inspired scented candle that I really love ! It was a bit expensive so I don’t light it often but it’s really nice

 

[cvalier26]

So, I added :
- A picture of ballet shoes, with a pale pink ribbon tied around it (I used to do ballet, now I still enjoy being in the audience )
- Divenire by Ludovico Einaudi piano music sheet
- Colors of the wind pan flute music sheet
- A couple of my grandmother’s favorite recipes

I have yet to add :
Pictures of my grandparents (who raised me)
Pictures of our dogs we had at that time
I need to find a nice frame idea for them first

Also, a quote, by my grandmother : once, when I was young, I told her : « I’m not studying for this exam, I am letting God’s will prevail : if God loves me, he’ll put the answers in my head ». She said « It doesn’t work that way : You have to help God a bit, by doing your best to study. Then he can help you. But you need to work together. »
So, I put in « You have to help God a bit ».

 

[VRBeauty]

I love this idea! I’m in a good place right now, but I’ve been in some pretty dark places in the past and I know I’m not immune from them, no matter what the circumstances. I already have one item that would go in the box - a small River rock that is probably as nearly round as River rocks get. Being near the ocean always, always brings a smile to my face but rivers, bays, and estuaries are a close second when it comes to both joy and calm.

I’m not sure If I’ll actually create a physical hope box, but even the idea sounds powerful for dark times!