Winter Hope: Embracing the Return of Light

When I think about winter, I can’t help but think about darkness and cold. Though I like to imagine myself as fairly optimistic, I’m more prone to feeling the blues when the season settles in… especially when we’re met with day after day of grey skies and those oh-so-early sunsets. So it might surprise you that I chose hope—yes, hope in winter—as the theme for this little love note to you on the first Sunday of Advent.

Advent sets off the the Christmas season for the Christian world and “Hope” is the theme for the first candle of Advent. The year has gone by quickly and it’s just a few short weeks until the Winter Solstice. And, here’s the beautiful paradox: while the first day of winter is the longest night of the year, it also marks the return of the light.

Even though the days may feel shorter for a while, they’re quietly, steadily lengthening. A few extra minutes of sunlight here and there. A little more brightness breaking through the clouds. And trust me—snow or not, cold or not—sunshine always makes me feel a flicker of winter hope.

And yes, I know the world is a pretty scary place right now. Darkness, grey skies, and terrible news can pull us down mentally, emotionally, spiritually. But I’m always reminded that we can live in choice. So instead of letting myself spiral into darkness, I’m choosing to live with an attitude of hope. And leaning into hope has become a true saving grace.

Choosing Hope in Winter

The older I get, the more I realize how essential it is to invite hope into my heart and soul, especially during the long, cold days of winter. Winter can feel heavy—grey skies, early nights, the hush of snow covering the streets—and yet, this season is also ripe for reflection and renewal. I’ve learned to feed my mind with uplifting words, surround myself with kind people, and challenge myself to stay optimistic even when the world feels steeped in strife and uncertainty.

And because I’m me, I went down the rabbit hole of research to really explore the semantics of hope.

In a 2004 paper from the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, researchers clarified the difference between hope and optimism. They determined that “hope focuses more directly on the personal attainment of specific goals, whereas optimism focuses more broadly on the expected quality of future outcomes in general.”

To me, this distinction is everything: optimism assumes the best, but hope doesn’t rely on assumption. Hope says, “I can take action that makes my life better, even in the midst of darkness.” Choosing hope means committing to daily practices that nourish you, even when winter nights are long and the outside world feels heavy. This is the essence of winter hope—a quiet, determined light you carry within.

The Stockdale Paradox: Hope Under Pressure

During my research, I revisited the story of Jim Stockdale, a Navy officer and POW in Vietnam for eight grueling years. He endured unimaginable hardship, often torture, yet he emerged unbroken. His life gave us what’s now called the Stockdale Paradox:

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality.”

Stockdale’s insight resonates deeply with winter hope. Hope isn’t naïve; it’s not pretending everything is fine. It’s about acknowledging reality—darkness, fear, uncertainty—and choosing how to respond anyway.

Even in the longest, coldest nights of winter, we can carry hope as an inner light, guiding our actions and reminding us that resilience and courage live within us.

Hope, Optimism, and the Present Moment

In my personal world, hope and optimism walk hand in hand. Yet I know how easy it is to get lost in fear or feel weighed down by the uncertainty of life. If you want to cultivate winter hope in your own life, here is what I have learned:

• • Hope begins with taking responsibility for your inner world. It does not wait for someone or something outside to magically make life better. It is a quiet, steady decision to tend to your own heart and mind, even when the world feels heavy.
  • You can absolutely be a pessimist and still carry hope. Hope does not require the outside world to change. It asks only that you trust yourself enough to make small, meaningful shifts in your daily life. It invites you to extend that goodness outward, touching the lives of others in small yet powerful ways.
  • Research confirms that hope does not mean avoiding conflict, struggle, or crisis. Instead, it is what allows us to meet challenges with resilience, intention, and compassion. Hope and hardship are not opposites. They can exist side by side, shaping us into people who face life with courage and grace.

Life has always been uncertain. It always will be. Yet uncertainty does not have to prevent you from choosing what nourishes your higher good. Every single day, you have the ability to create moments of kindness, light, and goodness. And when you do, you not only nurture yourself, but you ripple that hope outward to others, helping the world feel just a little brighter.

Kindness as a Path to Light

Now, more than ever, small acts of kindness are powerful. Winter hope thrives when we intentionally create light for ourselves and others, even in ordinary moments. The hush of a snowy morning, the glow of early twilight, the crisp chill in the air all become opportunities to practice care and compassion.

It can be as simple as bringing your neighbor’s trashcans in from the curb or pausing to ask the grocery cashier how her day is going and really looking at her in the eyes. Making your partner a cup of coffee while you prepare your own or sending a handwritten note to a friend letting them know they are in your thoughts. These small gestures ripple outward in ways we often cannot measure.

Kindness is not just about others. It is equally vital to extend it to yourself. Move your body, get enough sleep, and prepare a meal that nourishes both your body and your spirit. Pamper yourself with a comforting shower, a warm lotion, a fragrant candle, or simply a quiet moment with a favorite book. Feed your mind with words and stories that lift you whether from books, films, or the media you consume.

Hope also invites you to engage in your own healing.

Kindness should always extend beyond others and in how you treat yourself.

Life leaves marks on all of us, some subtle, some deep. Choosing hope allows you to tend to old wounds without being defined by them. Journaling, meditation, or noticing the triggers that lead you into unhappiness can create space for transformation. Instead of coping through numbing habits, hope empowers you to sit with emotions, honor them, and find ways to feel safe and present now even if past experiences were unsafe.

Sometimes, embracing hope means asking for help. A therapist, a coach, or a spiritual guide can bear witness to your journey and gently illuminate the path forward. You do not have to face it alone. Winter hope reminds us that even in the darkest season, light can be cultivated through intention, presence, and compassion.

Hope whispers: “You don’t have to do this alone.”

The Light Returns, and So Can You

The more I study hope, the more I believe this: we have the power to transform loss, despair, and trauma into a gentler, deeper strength when we allow hope to guide us. Life is a balancing act. Light means nothing without darkness. Hope does not ask you to abandon realism. It simply acknowledges that uncertainty and possibility can coexist.

Hope invites you to trust your innate holiness and build resilience, one tiny step at a time.

If you are not sure where to begin, start small. Ground yourself with a ritual that brings you fully into the present moment. Lean into routines that offer stability on uncertain days.

For me, that is my first cup of coffee every morning. The aroma rises warm and comforting. The quiet sip becomes a fragrant prayer. A grounding. A moment of winter light.

Hope is not just expectation. It is manifestation. It is the quiet dream of better days paired with the courage to pave your way toward them.

• • Hope is a both/and.
  • And hope is a companion you can turn to no matter what.
  • Sometimes, just sometimes, hope is sometimes all we have at the end of a long day. And that is enough.

My Invitation to You This Winter

Commit to living with hope as a steady companion. Let it sit beside you like a quiet, unwavering friend during the long, dark days of winter.

Even when you feel blind to the future, light a candle in the darkness because you have hope. Let that small flame remind you that even the tiniest acts of courage and kindness can create light in your life and in the world around you. Grab your journal and shore up hope in your heart and mind.

Because you are choosing kindness. Because you are choosing healing. Because each small, intentional choice you make builds a life that feels nourishing and good from the inside out.

Here is to remembering that no matter how challenging the world may seem, you have the power to nourish your life, find your path to healing, and sow seeds of hope for a better tomorrow. Winter hope is not passive. It is the quiet, steadfast strength that carries you through uncertainty and invites you to shine your light, even on the coldest days.

---

Begin the Year with a Ray of Hope:
Choose a Word of the Year!

Life is busy. Yet I also know that if you are here, you desire to have a nourishing daily life. This eBook / workbook is designed to help you with that.

A Guiding Light for 2026: Discover Your Word of the Year.

Here’s what you’ll find in A Guiding Light for 2026: Discover Your Word of the Year.

• • In Part One, you’ll take a look back as you Bid Farewell to 2025.
  • You’re invited to look ahead to 2026 and begin to breathe life into your desires as you explore Part Two.
  • In Part Three, you’ll review a list of more than 1000 words and begin pondering what Word (or words) is right for YOU in 2026.
  • To help you gain clarity, Part Four provides you with a series of tools to help you gain clarity around the best Word to serve as a touchstone to serve as your companion through your journey in 2026.
  • In Part Five, you’ll Declare Your Word (or Words) of 2026.

I’ve also added two Bonus section to help you you create a more nourishing year.

Bonus One explores Ways to Work with Your Word of the Year. This section suggests a dozen ways to help seal your Word…and more than a dozen journal prompts to continue to check-in with your Word throughout 2026.

Bonus Two is an invitation to dive into your emotions. There, I’ll share how you can use your emotions for good. And as a path and process for creating days that are more nourished. And satisfying.

Get your FREE Copy of this powerful workbook: A Guiding Light for 2026: Discover Your Word of the Year.

>>Want to read more tips on how to love your life? Click here!<<<