🌅 How to find hope when you feel hopeless

Hi there!

Today, I am going to share about one of my tattoos. You might be wondering what my tattoo has to do with mental health but let me explain. I have a semicolon on my right inner wrist - which serves as a reminder to me that it’s not time for my story to end (The way someone uses a semicolon instead of a period in a sentence) It wasn’t time then, and it isn’t time now.

For many years, I felt hopeless. Everything felt dark and impossible. I never thought I would get to where I am today. I never thought I would feel happy again so I want to try to share some things I knowingly (and unknowingly) did that helped me along the way.

Hope to me is finding joy in small things and looking forward to something (anything at all). For a long time, I didn’t feel this way about anything. I didn’t enjoy things I had but I also felt like my future was very bleak. At that point, it was impossible for me to just pick myself up and do all these things I kept reading everywhere that would help me. Here is what helped me :

• Reminding myself that it’s temporary and it will pass someday (might just take a sucky long time to get there) - this gave me a lot of relief, I had expectations to feel better in a day or a week or a month but taking that time pressure off helped me get there faster

• Therapy - this one is obvious but it’s also not an easy decision to ask for help. You may not be able to get therapy and if this is the case, I think there’s wonderful podcasts and youtube videos that can help through some of the yucky stuff you are feeling or offer you some insight into your thoughts

• (not) Finding the root cause - as an engineer, it is in my nature to want to find the root cause of a problem. It would baffle me to no end that I would feel so anxious but not know why. Letting go of this need to find the cause and just being in the feeling helped. This happened unknowingly but I am so glad I was able to let go of the “why” and instead just focus on how I feel / where in my body I feel at the moment. It made the dark stuff not feel as bleak.

• I used to run in a lot of “what if” loops, but with my therapist’s help, I started to explore the “what if not” thoughts and that helped to slowly break out of the overall feeling of dread

• This came after a while but knowing and understanding my worth (and believing that nothing is wrong with me) and taking care of my needs. This is something I am still working on but I am learning to advocate for myself and truly take what I need in the moment and it’s made me find happier and more hopeful!

  I hope you find some of this helpful and know that if you are feeling hopeless, you are not alone and things will get better!

One of my bucket list goals was to watch the sunrise over Lanikai beach in Hawaii with Boomer and he came with me on a work trip (at my previous job) and we were able to cross this off our list. Hawaii holds a very special place in my heart because it provided so much peace and breathtaking beauty along with some of the kindest people I’ve met. During my 6 weeks of work there, I was able to meet with a few hundred locals and learnt so much about their life and culture. The ʻāina (land) and the moana (ocean) are a part of the culture and home and I encourage everyone who visits to be extremely respectful of this! (as we should anywhere we are lucky enough to travel)

Bringing a dog to Hawaii requires extensive paperwork and health checks to avoid having your dog quarantine (for upto 120 days) so I wanted to share what I did to bring Boomer.

For background, Hawaii has been rabies free for more than 100 years, and the agricultural department doesn’t take any exception to the rules for quarantine they lay out. In order to avoid the 120 days quarantine and have your dog released within 5 days, or ideally, instantly upon landing you need to complete a series of tests and submit paperwork prior to your arrival.

The exact steps that you should follow are posted on the Hawaii Department of Agriculture Website. Regardless of what you read on websites or hear from other people, always consult back to this as the source of truth! (especially as rules often change over time)

Here’s an outline of the steps and costs to get your dog released on arrival at the airport :

Preparation (at least 10 days before arrival):

• Microchip: Make sure your dog has a microchip implanted

• Rabies Vaccinations: Ensure your dog has received at least two rabies vaccinations in it’s lifetime. The most recent vaccination must be given at least 30 days before your arrival in Hawaii

• Rabies Titer Test (FAVN): At least 30 days after the most recent rabies vaccination, have your veterinarian perform a blood test called a rabies titer test to confirm your dog's immune response to the rabies vaccine. This can take 1-2 months to receive a result! ($200-$400)

• Tick/Fleas: Your dog must be on monthly tick/flea medication or be treated by a vet within 14 days of the trip

• Health Certificate: Within 14 days of your arrival to Hawaii, obtain a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian, certifying your dog is healthy for travel. You can call around to local vets to find one that does this specific service (Varies by vet $100-$200)

• Documents: Send all your documents to Hawaii department of agriculture (Should be received 10 days before arrival)

  • Completed Dog & Cat Import Form (AQS-279) Hawaii Department of Agriculture

  • Original rabies vaccine certificates for the two most recent vaccinations

  • Original health certificate completed by the Vet

  • Cashier's check or money order for $185 (Honolulu Airport)

Upon arrival :

Direct Airport Release: After receiving your bags, go to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility to pickup your pup! (PRO TIP : Must get there before 4:30pm so be aware while booking your flight otherwise your dog will have to spend the night at the facility)

One easy/healthy recipe to try : 

Sheet pan pesto gnocchi is a sure shot crowd pleaser!

One positive affirmation to remember : 

Changing my mind is a strength not a weakness.

One thing I am actually obsessed with :

I typically don’t spend a lot of time styling my hair mainly because I feel like it takes me forever and it doesn’t end up looking great. But I ordered this wave wand and it took me about 10 mins and I love how my hair turned out (and so did so many of you). I can’t wait to do this more often!

@life.with.a.landcloud

Boomer 🤝 his Indian grandparents 🥹🩷 #dog #wholesome #samoyed

It would mean so much if you could share this newsletter with someone who might find it helpful! As always, I am grateful for your time to read this and hope you have a wonderful week ahead. Together I know we can find more health and happiness!

With fluffy hugs, 

Charishma + Boomer (@life.with.a.landcloud)