Ep. 116 - How to be hopeful with Bernadette Russell

MindsetHealing
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This week, I’m speaking with Bernadette Russell, who is an author and expert on hope and kindness. Bernadette has written a number of books on kindness, hope and wonder. Her newest book is called ‘How to Be Hopeful: Your Toolkit to Rediscover Hope and Help Create a Kinder World’, which I think is such a beautiful message for these times.

In the episode, we talk about kindness, compassion and the power of hope. Bernadette shares how one incident totally changed her outlook and the trajectory of her life. We also explore why being hopeful is so important to connect us to feelings of joy and positivity.

We have a really interesting discussion around the news - and how to walk the fine line between staying informed and not feeling all consumed by what is going on in the world around us. the news around us.

I loved our conversation and hope you enjoy it, too. As always, we continue the conversation over on Instagram, so do come and join us there.

You can download a transcript of this week’s episode here.

Key takeaway’s from this week’s episode:

Realising the Need for Hope:

  • A year ago, Bernadette realised that many people at her workshops would express hopelessness despite doing kind initiatives or self-compassion practices. (04:46)

  • She read the story about Pandora’s box and saw the significance of finding hope to combat difficulties. Bernadette says this is the starting point of her work on instilling hope. (05:56)

  • Bernadette shares her joy in seeing people’s kindness and compassion during the lockdown despite all the difficulties the pandemic has brought about. (08:17)

How Bernadette’s Life Trajectory Changed:

  • On the morning of August 18, 2011, she chanced upon news about the riots happening in London because of Mark Duggan’s killing in a cafe. (10:23)

  • This made her question herself about what she can do. (12:07)

  • Bernadette talks about her encounter with a boy at the local post office whom she helped because he didn’t have enough money. After this encounter, she realised she could try doing something kind for a stranger every day. (12:10)

Doing Kind Things Every Day:

  • Listen to the full episode as Bernadette shares some notable acts of kindness. (13:55)

  • Being kind to other people is a way of being kind to yourself. That is why it feels good when you’re kind. (16:45)

The Interconnectedness of Humans:

  • Kindness and self-compassion lead to connectedness. (18:45)

  • The simple act of saying thank you to the people behind every single item in your grocery bag is a powerful practice. (21:06)

  • Bernadette believes that small, achievable actions like saying thanks create kindness and interconnectedness. (22:06)

Bernadette’s Daily Practice of Kindness:

  • She became more aware of kindness and the frequency of kindness. (23:46)

  • She realised that the world runs on love and kindness. (24:00)

  • Despite the uncertainties in the crisis we face today, Bernadette believes everything is going to be alright as long as there is hope and kindness within. (25:26)

Children’s Natural Hopefulness:

  • Bernadette thinks that kids are optimistic. (26:06)

  • She shares a study that found children tend to focus on positive actions and judgements because of their positive social experiences. They focus on learning because adults still protect them. (27:07)

  • As we grow older, we tend to think more negatively because we think more about the threats to our survival. However, the brain can be re-trained to find the good in things. (27:55)

Having a Gratitude Practice:

  • On days when you can’t be grateful, self-gratitude is crucial. (30:50)

  • Gratitude doesn’t always have to come from big things. (32:23)

Seeking Hope & Courage:

  • Hope fuels us to take action continually. (35:05)

  • It entails courage and imagination to get to where you want to. (35:15)

  • It takes courage to hope and imagine a future. Bernadette acknowledges that some can struggle in seeking hope for themselves. (36:16)

How Bernadette Works on Her Fears:

  • Bernadette struggles with filtering stories or news reports. (37:31)

  • She’s currently doing a practice called 21 Days of Hope. She’s been posting hopeful news stories every day. (38:19)

  • It is crucial to notice things that put you in a place of fear. (38:55)

  • Bernadette believes that negative, fear-driven news is okay, but we should also focus on positive solutions and ways we can engage with worldly issues. (43:16)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

About Bernadette

Bernadette Russell is an author and expert on hope and kindness. Her works include Little Book of Kindness, Little Book of Wonder, and her new book, How to Be Hopeful. Through her practice and workshops, she inspires many people to remain kind and hopeful despite all the unpleasant circumstances in life.

Find out more about Bernadette and her work through her website. You can also find Bernadette on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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Ep. 117 - Is Happiness a Choice with Gelong Thubten
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Ep. 115 - Why empathy is a super power with Dr. Michele Borba