We seem to be living in an unrecognizable world. Many of us wake each day feeling uneasy and unsure of our futures, plaintively looking back on our past. Some feel a need for hyper-awareness, and while recognizing danger and identifying threats are essential to our survival, if we focus only on the negative, we risk being held back by a defensive attitude.

There is a remedy. Neuroscience shows that envisioning a positive future can influence our behavior and well-being. Positivity shapes emotional regulation and decision-making and helps build resilience to adversity. We need hope. Hope helps us imagine a positive future and is a driving force behind profound transformation.

Let me share a true story about a friend. Kimo had saved for years to buy his land in Pahoa, Hawaii, and build his dream home. After two years of hard work, his vision was completed. He designed every aspect, added decks and planted his favorite trees and flowers. Two dogs and 7 stray cats joined the family.

In 2018, the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii erupted and unexpectedly began flowing towards Pahoa. One morning, Kimo was shaken awake by a 6.9 earthquake and the terrifying scream of emergency sirens. Tremors and lava flow continued for three months. Daily, he felt his joy and future crumbling like the crater walls. He no longer tended his garden, his personal care suffered and he spent anxious hours worrying how he would save his beloved animals. He finally sought counsel from a local Kahuna (a Hawaiian wise man).

“Why should I care about anything when it could all burn tomorrow?” he asked. The Kahuna sat with him in contemplative silence before answering, “It is time to start living pono.” He explained that living pono means living with a conscious decision to do right for oneself, for others and for the world at large. “Each day when you wake, prepare yourself, your home and your garden as if you are expecting an honored guest. In this way, you will transform yourself and everyone around.”

As Kimo left for home, he noticed something was different. The air, still thick with sulfur, now held the sweetness of plumeria and gardenia, fragrances he had not noticed in months. He slowly began to cultivate his dwelling and land, and to lovingly prepare meals for himself, his neighbors and his animals. He contemplated who his honored guest might be as the trade winds softened and healed his broken heart. He felt hope. Eventually, the lava flow stopped just short of town, averting any crisis.

Did you identify with any elements of this story? The volcano, Kimo, the garden, the Kahuna, the stray cats, living pono? And who, or what, is your honored guest?

May your hopes lead you to profound transformation, and may all beings discover a deep and lasting peace in the world today.

Patty Van Santen is a doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine with Circe Healthcare Solutions and can be reached at (760) 773.4948.