From Dr. Annette Cannon on Facebook: *This may be a bit long of a rambling, but it is for those who are feeling a bit down lately about current situations and the world in general. As we go forward and think about the coming days, months and years, I decided to write a little something about finding and maintaining hope and strength in the face of adversity. It quickly reminded me of twenty years ago, when I was the valedictorian for my doctoral program. I wrote a speech titled “How do you handle adversity?”. In that speech, I described the many adversities that I was facing, which involved losses, heartaches, uncertainties, and fears. I then shared a short story with the graduating class to give encouragement for us all to go forward in the face of adversity. My hope is that we will all go forward now, too.
Many are facing a current adversity. I would encourage finding a way to build resilience through hope, strength, and love. Yes, we can fight adversity through love. Those that we have a positive connection with can help support us, and help us persevere through the adverse times, or maybe it can be from a deep-felt love within oneself that provides this support. Remember, love is our greatest gift.
To me, hope means that there are better days ahead of us. We must be cautious though, as fear can overtake us and make us think differently. Keeping the belief, that better days are on the horizon and knowing that challenges can be overcome, will help you build your resilience and guide you through difficult times. I am reminded of our resilience through the pandemic. In my situation, it was a matter of staying optimistic and looking at things through a positive lens.
Being the Coroner, I had to focus on finding solutions for myself and my team, along with helping the citizens of Jeffco. My motto for the office was and currently is “Focus on the Good”. Luckily, I had always been an adaptable person and open to change. My hope came through by looking at things as possibilities and opportunities to learn and improve.
A big part of having hope can also come from being grateful for the things you have, such as life and freedom, and knowing that you have the ability of choice. Hope is not just a feeling, but something that will require action. The actions you take can give you a sense of confidence that things are going to get better. Decide the action you are going to take. Something to always remember during adverse times is that the time right now is not permanent. Things are constantly changing.
I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to make it through adverse times, so it is always ok to ask for help. Try and remember that your contributions to get through the adversity does make a big difference. Remember to celebrate those successes and gain Strength through self-empowerment. Your strength will not come from your body, but from your mind. Constant negative thoughts, emotions, and events can limit your growth mindset, so practice self-awareness and surround yourself with others who are positive.
Our life experiences and struggles shape who we are and who we become, but avoid letting the adversities in your life define you. We can all move past them together. We are not victims and can overcome the feelings of hopelessness in adversity. The sentiment, of ‘every storm has an end, and behind the clouds, the sun still shines’ reminds me of a quote by Abraham Lincoln, “This too shall pass”. ~ ~ AC
AND, in the words of RBG: “Fight for the things that you care about”
Photo: Annette & friend Mitzi