Having hope in challenging time

Hello hello Oli-people!

December is already here, and I’ve got a question for you: how are you feeling right now? If, like me, you feel like the world is spinning out of control and the crises just keep piling up - between political tensions, climate issues, and the daily challenges - I’m sending you a little dose of sweetness to help wrap up the year.

Because, yes, we can’t control everything, and that’s totally OK. The most important thing is finding that balance: taking responsibility for ourselves, while also knowing when to let go of what’s out of our hands. Not always easy, I know.

Right now, what I’m focusing on is hope. And as Brené Brown wisely says: hope isn’t some kind of magic that falls from the sky - it’s a process, a skill. It rests on three pillars: setting goals, persevering through obstacles, and believing that we can influence our future.

Hope is also a key driver of resilience, and even leadership. Today, we’re talking about "well-being intelligence" - the ability to nurture our well-being through self-awareness, adaptability, and intentional actions.

So, for this month, I’m giving you a little challenge: cultivate hope, even in small doses. Because it can truly shine brighter than we think.

5 QUESTIONS TO ELÉONORE

In December, I love slowing down to take stock of the past year. This time, a last-minute getaway: off to Montreal to catch up with a dear friend. Éléonore is the kind of friend whose evolution I’m so happy to witness over the years. We laugh a lot together, but we also love to dive into deep conversations about life, reimagine the world, and reflect on what really matters. So, I asked her what she thinks about hope.

What does hope represent to you?

I’m not a fatalist, but I wouldn’t call myself an optimist either. What matters most to me is the present moment. I don’t have a plan for my life. I prefer to go with the flow, almost like improvising. I think my hope is subtle, almost instinctive, and it differs from conventional hope, which is often based on clear plans or goals. My hope doesn’t rest on an idealized future, but on the trust I have in my ability to adapt and improvise with whatever comes. Then, there’s also the idea of letting go: believing that even without controlling everything, things can fall into place. It’s also about being aware of what I can change on my own level.

It’s about accepting that I won’t always feel okay when I don’t feel okay, accepting that I don’t have all the answers when I don’t know. It’s making peace with how I feel, even when it’s not perfect. Even when things are tough, I tell myself that it will get better. It’s temporary, just a phase.

Tools to nurture hope?

Every year, I write myself a letter. I talk to myself and write down what I wish for the coming year. I often read it when I’m feeling down, doubting myself, or in a mindset where I can’t put things into perspective. The fact that it’s me talking to me reminds me that there are tough moments, but that it’s going to be okay. I trust myself. It helps me ground myself again and refocus on what really matters.

Every full moon, I write on two pieces of paper. On one, I write what I want to keep in me—the positive things I want to hold onto. On the other, I write what I want to release before the next moon.

At the start of each new year, I also ask myself: in an ideal world, what would my life look like? I list what it would look like. It pushes me to ask: Is this achievable? And surprisingly, it often is.

And your vision of the world?

Ah, for that, I’m a bit of a fatalist, haha. No, I try to focus on the things I can control. It’s the small victories around me that can ripple into my bubble and, through it, into the bubbles of others... And I do my best. When I feel like I’m doing my best to be a better person, every day, I think that’s what really matters.

What’s important to you today, and how does it influence how you think about tomorrow?

Freedom has been my guiding principle for the past three years now. Being surrounded by good people—my friends, my loved ones. Surrounding myself with people who make me feel good and loving myself. Authenticity, knowing I can be myself.

I also believe that small challenges give life, and the future, meaning. We only have one life. I want to listen to myself, to have no regrets. To me, it’s better to spend a lifetime searching than a lifetime thinking you’ve found everything.

What inspires you today?

My friends. Women. They are a source of inspiration: courage, strength, emotional intelligence. I look up to them a lot.

Travel too. It’s what sparks my curiosity the most—the chance to discover new perspectives. That’s where I feel alive.

BITS AND BOBS TO GET INSPIRED THIS MONTH

• Brené Brown makes vulnerability cool and talks about hope from over a decade ago

• A book I want to read: Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit. She reminds us that hope isn't about knowing everything will be fine. It's about embracing uncertainty as the space where possibility lives. As leaders, our job isn't to have all the answers. It's about staying committed to creating positive change, even when it feels impossible. It's about choosing courage over comfort, connection over control, and possibility over despair—not just once, but again and again in small ways.

• Flamenco/electro fusion to light up your December with MËSTIZA.

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  OLI-REFLECTION

  
  

  What if we did this exercise together that Eléonore suggests for the end of the year? Take a piece of paper and a pen, and ask yourself: in an ideal world, what would your life look like?

  
  

  Make a list.

  
  

  Is it achievable? What could you start putting in place today to reach it?