My dear reader,

*trigger warning: mention of loss by suicide

It’s suicide awareness week, and tomorrow is the suicide awareness day, which has made me reflect on the topic of hope.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines hope as: “to want something to happen or to be true, and usually have a good reason to think that it might.”

But my favorite definition comes from psychologist Charles Snyder:

“A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind.”

Hope is the remedy and our ultimate motivator in life.

Hope is the juice to think what is possible in our lives.

It’s the light torch we carry, even through the darkest tunnels — the faint glow that helps us keep moving until we reach the end.

But, the mind is powerful that the tunnel can sometimes feel like it’s never-ending. It is just a feeling, which can be so consuming that we can lose touch of hope.

And this is my mission to prevent that nobody gets to that point.

After losing my little brother to suicide, this became my dharma, my purpose.

Here’s the thing though: without the dark, light cannot exist. Yin and Yang remind us of this. The moon and the sun. Darkness and light. Both are needed for harmony.

The dark we go through is part of our journey of becoming our most heartful selves. God does not give you anything that you’re not strong enough to go through.

It is all for you, for you to remember, what it is to be your whole self.

When someone takes their own life, I like to believe their light was simply too bright for this world in this lifetime — a brilliance that exceeded the frequency of here and now. When I think of my brother, this thought has brought me a small measure of solace.

My hope and North Star in this life is to ignite light and hope in others, no matter what they are going through. That’s why I started the Connected You Community — to help people tap into self-connection, and to be held by others when the weight of the world feels too heavy.

Because we cannot do this alone.
We need each other.
We need to connect more and be in community.

So, let me remind you:

✨ You are not alone.
✨ You are enough.
✨ You are a gift to this world just by being here.

If this resonates, and you’re in London, I’d love to invite you to walk for hope with me this Sunday at our special Walk & Talk Club for Suicide Awareness. Whether you’ve been touched personally by suicide, or simply want to walk for a cause, everyone is welcome. This is about togetherness.

Sometimes, the greatest spark of hope is as simple as a smile, a kind word, or a hug. These small gestures can change a day. Sometimes, they can save a life.

So let’s keep carrying that torch. For ourselves. For each other. For hope.

Keep connecting. Keep moving. Thank you for being part of this tribe. I love you.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Heartfully,
Essi x

JOIN ME TO WALK OR SUICIDE AWARENESS THIS SUNDAY:

👣 Walk and Talk For Suicide Awareness Month

Date: Sunday 14th Sept.
Location: Hyde Park
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Tickets: £7 or donate the amount of your choice

Each life matters. Each conversation counts. Each step we take together can help someone feel less alone.

Every month we host our women's and men's walk and talk clubs, but this month we want to come altogether as humans to walk for Suicide Prevention Month.

Join us for an afternoon of walking, talking, and honouring those affected by suicide.

Whether you're walking in memory of someone, walking for your own mental health, or simply showing up to support the cause and meet like-hearted souls — we welcome you.

This special Walk & Talk is open to all.

All tickets are donation based. All profits go to charity for suicide prevention.