How to Be Hopeful: A Year of Attempting to Feel Less Awful About the World

Caitlin Moran takes us on a personal journey from despair to hopefulness by refusing to succumb to the paralyzing news cycle and by taking action in small ways that make a difference; award-winning columnist and bestselling author of How to Be a Woman and What About Men? helps us find hope in seemingly hopeless times with this laugh-out-loud and heart-filling story of finding a way forward in dark times.

Waking up from another anxious night of sleep, doomscrolling on your phone, feeling the familiar thud of dread in your chest as you watch the news: Sound familiar? One morning, Caitlin Moran awakes and realizes that she has reached Peak Despair. In a world of worsening news, increasing tribalism and digital addiction, is it any wonder that we all feel so terrible? So, Caitlin wonders: what might be done?

She starts with a Big Plan to escape to the country. But, after nearly bankrupting her family in an ill-advised bid to escape societal doom, Caitlin realizes that true change starts not by escaping our circumstances, but by reckoning with ourselves. If we step back from the algorithm and take care of ourselves and each other, might amazing change be possible?

And so, ditching the news, eschewing social media, and throwing herself into the analogue world just beyond our screens, Caitlin shows how recognizing the goodness in the everyday can be a radical act of rebellion against the fear and anxiety of modern life. From the magic of becoming a renegade litter-picker to the joy of finding exercise that your body loves, How to Be Hopeful is an essential, serotonin-boosting companion for anyone looking to reclaim their optimism amidst global chaos, reminding us that our own revolution of hope is never far away.