25 Days to Hope – Peace – Joy and Love

ByJackie

Darker days before the upcoming Winter Solstice are such a challenge. I’d like to bring in a bit of hope, peace, joy and love into my life and the world. And I’m inviting you to join me. No pressure, no added things for your busy list, no guilt here.

Welcome to your personal journey of 25 days to greater hope peace joy and love in your life. It’s a personal journey because I provide the prompts, and your experience comes when you delve into these themes. This 25-day collection of prompts offers a gentle practice for each day – something simple, meaningful and achievable. Think of it as an advent calendar for your inner wellbeing. This goes beyond a religious practice, although it is based on the same themes. I’m building on an opportunity to go within and reflect during the Winter season. Each of these weeks supports your mind, body, spirit, and emotional health as well as resolving past issues, building for the future, and increasing self-awareness.

If you’re joining in December 2025, you’ll see the days emerge like a bit of brightness during the dark days. If you’re coming to this later on, you can start on any day that feels right, and let each practice build on the last. I’m offering this to you warmly bringing my own hope, peace, joy and love together with my experience as a holistic therapist who helps to make people’s lives better.

Week 1: Hope

Hope is that quiet whisper that things will be okay, even when the days seem dark.

It’s not about false positivity or ignoring challenges. It is about noticing those small lights that flicker in the darkness and remembering we’ve come through difficult times before.

This week, gently nurture hope, let it grow like a seed being nurtured with your faith.

The word hope on a card being held in cupped hands. The first theme in hope, peace, joy and love

Take a moment for yourself today – it only takes a moment.

If it feels right, pause and notice something small that brings a glimmer of hope or light. Have you seen a moment of kindness or something beautiful? Is there a memory that makes you smile? There’s no need to search; simply allow yourself to observe what catches your attention.

Think back gently to a time when you faced a challenge and found your way through it.

Sometimes those challenges give us the gift of desperation – the willingness to be open to trying new things. The very fact that you’ve moved through that challenge is evidence in and of itself. It shows that you had hope, strength, and resilience within you. Take heart that you’re carrying that same strength now.

Let yourself imagine something (even something teeny, tiny) that you’re looking forward to.

It might be an ordinary moment: a meal you’ll enjoy, time with friends or family, or simply a day off.

Let yourself feel that anticipation gently and notice what it reveals about what matters to you.

Connect with nature today, in whatever form is best for you. Looking out a window, sitting in a garden, or being present with a plant or flowers. Connect with how nature keeps finding a way, even in the darkest and coldest seasons. We can also find a way because new things are always possible. Good things are coming.

When I connected with nature today when glanced out at our bird feeder. There was a small robin visiting. I loved seeing her visiting for a few moments, enjoyed a few seeds, and flying off into the sky.

I invite you to break for a minute or two and rest gently with this guided mini-meditation.

Click here for a 3.50 minute meditation

Today, try something new! Nurture and connect with hope through a simple JSJ hold (Jin Shin Jyutsu – gives hope). Simply holding the right place on your body can help transform sadness into hope. I love how a simple hold can reconnect us with a sense of hope. It works with the energetic patterns in your body and helps to ease tension so you can feel better right away.

And it’s so simple, just holding the centre of your palm. I’ve even heard it referred to as our own personal magic button. Welcome a bit of magic and hope in your life today.

As you move through today, pause and notice where you are. I noticed this morning I was rushing, scrabbling to get everything done. Do you have days like this?

When we move through our day in scramble mode, our energy shifts. Our breath becomes shallow, our shoulders creep up toward our ears, and our thoughts spin faster. We become stretched, overwhelmed, reactive. Our emotional health suffers under this weight.

Today, gently invite yourself to slow down. Notice your shoulders – are they tense? Let them soften. Feel your feet on the ground. Return to your breath, to centre, to a place of calm rather than panic or pressure. This simple act of coming back to yourself creates space for clarity.

From this calmer place, gently notice one emotion that arises – maybe hope itself, or curiosity, or even a quiet sadness. Without trying to change it, simply acknowledge it. Let it be there.

  • What is this feeling telling you about what matters to you?
  • What does it reveal about your true priorities, your real needs?

Sometimes our emotions are the wisdom we’ve been too busy to hear. By slowing down, by coming back to centre, we give ourselves permission to listen.

Blessings to you until Saturday

At the end of this week focusing on hope, take a moment to pause and reflect. What have you become aware of about yourself? Your capacity for hope? Your resilience? What small insights have come to you?

But today is also an invitation to notice something else – the wonderful moments that show up unexpectedly. The ones that catch your breath, that fill you with brightness and hope for the future. A child’s laughter. A moment of genuine connection. The magic of seeing something beautiful with others. Even a pantomime that reminds you that wonder still exists. These moments are everywhere, if we’re paying attention.

These little pockets of hope are precious. The show up often when we least expect them, and in those instants, we remember what’s possible. We remember that goodness is real. that lift is still full of magic. that hope isn’t just something we cultivate through practice – it’s something we discover, again and again, in the moments that move us.

As this week closes, notice:

  • What unexpected moment(s) of hope appeared for you?
  • What made you feel alive?
  • What reminded you that the world is still full of wonder?

These are the moments that feed hope. Capture them. Treasure them. They are the proof that hope is not just a practice – it’s a lived experience, waiting for you in the ordinary extraordinary moments of your life.

Week 2: Peace

Peace is always with us – just sometimes hidden under the overwhelm and busy-ness. Peace is found in the spaces between our thoughts, in moments of stillness, and in the gentle acceptance of what is. It’s not the absence of difficulty but rather a quiet trust that we can meet life as it comes. This week, we create room for peace: in our mornings, in our breath, in the simple act of being present.

Stylised image of dove with branch in flight over a white and grey background and the word peace in the lower right hand corner

Can you imagine would it would be like to have one moment of calm? Even on those days when your to-do list is longer than your day. What would it feel like to pause and come back to yourself?

Without that bit of calm, everything becomes harder. Our nervous systems stays on high alert, activated, stuck in the sympathetic fight-flight-freeze state. This shows up as tense muscles, shallow breathing, and often feeling defensive, exhausted, and braced against everything. Thoughts are muddy and scattered. We react instead of responding. We feel fragmented as if we’re splintering in a thousand directions.

But when we given our day with a small moment of calm, we’re setting a different tone entirely.

I can almost hear you saying that my day starts in panic mode and the kids need this and that, the dog needs a walk, and we’re going to be late – how can I possibly take even a moment. Read on and I’ll share with you a simple tip.

When we have a micro-dose of calmness, our nervous system settles and engages with the parasympathetic state where we don’t crash and burn. Our body relaxes. We think more clearly, move more gracefully. Calm is essential – it’s the ground that everything can rest more easily on.

You’ve probably heard about starting your day earlier – but that might not be possible. So what if you build a very short practice into your morning routine? Whether it’s when you’ve just brushed your teeth or when you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. Give yourself a big hug, crossing your arms and placing each hand under the opposite arm. Hold yourself gently. Drop your shoulders, feel your feet on the floor, relax your face. Then, if you can, take 36 grounding breaths – slow, full breaths that remind your body it’s safe. Count them if it helps you focus – especially on the exhale. With each breath, feel yourself coming back to your centre, in your body, in this moment, in this day.

As you move through your day, connect with a sense of peace. Whatever helps you feel grounded and present – enjoying the warm drink you’re holding, a gentle stretch, or simply gazing out the window and notice the birds taking flight. Starting and strengthening the calm in your day gives you added foundation for everything else.

Peace of mind – is it possible? Likely? Worth seeking? Definitely yes in my book on all fronts. But what does that actually look like?

For me, part of peace of mind is mental clarity.

  • It’s when the monkey mind quiets.
  • It’s when you can think without your thoughts piling up on top of each other.
  • It’s when you can see things clearly, without the fog of worry of the noise of competing demands.
  • It’s the space between thoughts where you can actually hear yourself.
  • It’s the ability to focus on what matters, without distraction pulling you away.

So how do we connect with that peace of mind? Take a pause. I always love to listen to the wisdom of Tara Brach as she guides me through pausing, taking a few slow, gentle breaths. And noticing how the mind shifts with each breath. There’s no particular way to do this – just breathe at whatever pace feels comfortable and natural. With each exhale, imagine releasing the mental clutter – the worry, the competing thoughts, the noise. With each inhale, invite clarity. Just a few breaths can create a pocket of mental space where you can actually think again. You might be surprised how much clearer everything becomes.

Today, listen deeply to yourself – the way you would listen to a dear friend. Not trying to fix anything, not analysing or judging. Just be present. Just hearing.

When we’re busy and distracted, we override our own wisdom with shoulds and obligations. But when you pause, connect, and truly listen to yourself with the same care and attention you’d give to someone you love, something within you shifts. You meet yourself with compassion. You begin to hear what’s true. You learn what you actually feel, what you actually need.

I invite you to put distractions aside. Notice what arises when you listen inward. Not planning, not analysing, just truly hearing yourself. This kind of presence toward yourself is profound. In listening to your own wisdom, in honouring what your feel and what you need, you can find peace.

Come home to yourself.

Can we find spiritual peace even in real life? Pema Chödrön suggests it is possible.

As I reflect on that, peace doesn’t mean everything is perfect. It means you can cope with it all, and still find peace. Peace can be large enough to contain contradictions, to welcome what comes without bracing against it.

Where can you find peace in your everyday life? Maybe spend time in nature on the way through your daily activities. Notice how expansive nature is. A storm and sunshine. Growth and decay. Life and death, all at once. Nature doesn’t resist what comes; it just keeps going, spacious enough to hold it all.

As you move through your day, notice where you’re tightening – where you’re bracing against what’s happening, trying to keep things small and controlled. And gently, without force, see if you can expand a little. Make room. Breathe into that space. This is how peace grows – not by eliminating what’s difficult, but by becoming large enough to hold it all.

Worry is a weight. It settled into our shoulders, our chest, our belly. We carry it like a burden we can’t put down. And as long as we’re carrying it, it’s challenging to experience peace. Peace flourishes in lightness. Peace expands with available emotional space. Peace comes when we set down what we’ve been gripping so tightly.

In Jin Shin Jyutsu, the 11s (where the neck meets the shoulder on each side) are the key to releasing old worries and burdens. This is where we hold the weight of what we think we should be, what we think we’ve failed at, the regrets we’ve been carrying. When we hold this area gentle, we’re giving our body the prompts and permission to let go.

Try this: hold your shoulder at SEL 11) and the front of your hip on the same side. Or, if that’s uncomfortable, simply hold your little finger. Breathe gently. Stay for a few minutes. As you do, notice what wants to release. The worry you’ve been gripping, the burden you’ve been carrying. Feel how your body softens as you give it permission to let go.

This is how peace arrives – not all at once, but through small releases. Through putting down one worry at a time. Through trusting that you don’t have to carry everything. As you release what’s been weighing you down, you create space for peace to move in. Lightness. Ease. Freedom.

You might imagine a small ritual that brings you comfort – lighting a candle, brewing tea, arranging flowers, or playing a song you love. Notice what you’re drawn to.

What does this ritual reveal about what brings you peace? Each ritual has different meanings for each person. For example, brewing tea can bring some people energy, be a contemplative exercise for others, or be a healing practice for those who work with herbal medicine. Tune into how this practice is resourcing you. You may find it different depending on the day and your current state.

When we bring gentle acts into the day, it tells your whole being that it’s safe to relax and accept more peace into your being.

We’re coming to the close of another week, a week with reflections and actions to support your peace. I invite you to pause and notice what you’ve focused on. The week started by asking what peace of mind actually looks like – partially it’s mental clarity, giving your body permission to settle and come back to centre. You’ve listened deeply to yourself and extended the same compassion to yourself that you’d give a dear friend. You’ve expanded your capacity for peace by embracing difficulty and your ability to hold that difficulty without contracting. And you released old worries from your shoulders – giving space to experience lightness and more peace.

What will you carry forward from this week? Breathing? Listening? JSJ holds? These aren’t practices just for December – they’re gifts you can return to again and again. These will help you build the peace you’re craving in the weeks and months ahead. Peace as the ground from which you can operate more clearly and easily.

Notice too what’s shifted in you. How you move differently. How you listen differently. How you hold yourself differently. These shifts are the seeds of transformation. Tend them gently.

Week 3: Joy

Joy is the spark, the lightness that comes when we pause to truly experience our lives. It lives in small moments: the warmth of your tea, the movement of your body, the simple act of being alive. Joy can show up even when everything isn’t perfect. It only asks that we notice and savour what’s already here. This week’s exploration brings joy into focus and provides simple prompts to bring that joy into your mind, body, spirit, and help to release blockages, increase self-awareness and future-proof your life and your being for more joy.

Joy is the centre tiles and supported by many hands holding it.

Joy is everywhere. It’s waiting in the small felt experience we rush past every day. But we only discover joy when we slow down enough to truly feel.

Choose one small thing today and experience is through your senses.

  • Really taste your food – the textures, the flavours, the warmth.
  • Feel the temperature of water on your skin.
  • Notice the scent of something you love.
  • Watch the way the light moves across a surface.
  • Listen to subtle sounds around you.

When you actually pay attention, when you bring all of yourself to a simple moment, something shifts. The ordinary becomes extraordinary. A cup of tea becomes an experience. A breath becomes a gift.

This is where joy lives – not in grand gestures or perfect moments, but in the sensory richness of being alive. When we bring our full attention to what’s right in front of us, joy reveals itself. It’s been there all along. We just finally notice it.

What will you discover today through your senses?

Joy is wonderful and we can have more joy when we cultivate that state of mind. One way is to practice gratitude.

Joy often happens when we’re intentional and consciously choose to notice what is good in our lives. Consciously pausing and focusing on specific things that we’re grateful for. This isn’t just a one-off thing, but something we can build through that practice. It’s about looking for the light instead of dwelling in the shadows. Your intention brings you to experiencing joy instead of just wishing for it.

The alchemy of gratitude trains your mind toward joy. What we focus on grows. And by focusing this way it teaches your brain to notice what’s working instead of what’s broken. A bit like when you’re thinking about buying a red car – you’re more likely to see red cars everywhere.

Today, find one thing that brings you a smile. Something you’re genuinely grateful for. Hold it gently and closely in your mind. Feel how your thoughts shift, how your mood lifts. This is an anchor that you can return to whenever you need it. This is your joy starter – a thought that reminds you that joy isn’t something you have to look for externally. It’s something your mind an access anytime, anywhere, when you choose to.

Blessings and joy to you and the world today. 🕊️

Week 4: Love

Love is the deepest combination of hope, peace, and joy. It begins with ourselves when we forgive, when we’re gentle, when we honour own needs. It extends to others through presence, kindness, and authenticity. Love is both tender and strong, it sets boundaries while remaining open. This final week, we practice love in all its forms: towards ourselves and the world around us.

If you’re new to this space, you might be wondering who Jackie is. If we’ve already met, you probably already know that I’m a warm, caring, and calm holistic therapist living in Ireland and working with people throughout the world online. This post really brings many of my core values into action – hope, peace, joy and love. I’m offering it freely to you my readers. If you’re moved to explore how we can transform things in your life even more, let’s chat.

Jackie McGloughlin holistic therapist at Energy Flows welcomes you here in Maynooth and online for Jin Shin Jyutsu, Reflexology, and Reiki treatments. She is smiling while holding a pink mug, at a white table with tulips on the left.

Jackie McGloughlin is a gentle holistic therapist who empowers women to improve their health through Jin Shin Jyutsu (JSJ), Reflexology, and Reiki. Offering 1:1 sessions, workshops and online courses. Sessions are available in person in Maynooth, Ireland and online from where you are in the world.

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