Cultivating Critical Hope: Duality Declaration
We look to leaders to be repositories of hope, but the truth is critical hope is available to all of us, and it’s free.
What’s also true is that strong leaders inspire critical hope but they do this not necessarily through dynamism or charisma. They do it through mindset, consistency of practice, and communicating their critical hope in solidarity. They do it for themselves, and the byproduct is that it might inspire and even uplift others.
It takes intentional practice to cultivate critical hope. The Teaching Well’s Executive Director Lindsey Fuller said she’s “realized that critical hope is actually a somatic practice”. It's creating space internally within relationships to tap into the body and get centered before delivering outward messaging.
Whether you see yourself as a leader or not, you can build your capacity to cultivate critical hope by exploring a custom somatic practice created by The Teaching Well called a “Duality Declaration.” This is the practice of being able to recognize and accurately narrate duality, the idea that two things can be true. Let’s try it on!
Statement of Despair + Yet [the thing that is also true]
First, take a few deep breaths and notice your feet on the floor.
Second, say aloud to yourself a statement of despair.
Example: We are in a climate crisis due to human activities.
Next, add a statement of the hopeful thing that is also true.
Example: There are so many people working to change their behaviors and to create innovative solutions.
Connect this second statement to the first statement with the word YET rather than but or and. Yet is the hope. It’s the opening. It’s what’s possible.
Example: We are having a climate crisis due to human activities, yet there are so many people working to change their behaviors and to create innovative solutions.
Take a deep breath. Notice your feet on the floor. You might even try crossing your arms over your chest and tapping your opposite collarbones as you make your Duality Declaration again.
So next time you pause to take a few breaths, to reframe a dilemma in your mind, remember that every time you make space inside yourself, you are cultivating critical hope.