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Caitlin Moran Finds Hope by Rewilding Her Garden

Journalist Caitlin Moran says hope comes from action rather than mere optimism. After a year of searching for hope, she transformed her north London garden into a wildlife haven, planting ponds and removing lawns. The influx of butterflies, bees, frogs, newts, woodpeckers and a peregrine falcon boosted her mental health, giving her a dopamine hit that outshone any drug. Moran, who has ADHD, uses the garden as a daily reminder that small, tangible acts can counter chronic anxiety and depression. She links this personal practice to a broader critique of how social media and powerful elites profit from public despair, arguing that individual rebellion against engineered hopelessness can spark change. Her new book, How to Be Hopeful, chronicles this journey and offers practical steps for readers to cultivate optimism in everyday life. Moran also encourages parents to counter negative narratives with messages of possibility, especially for young people who feel the world is bleak. Finally, she urges people to take responsibility for their online spaces, suggesting that curating positive content can reduce division.

· Positive News

The essential points

  1. 01Moran’s garden makeover in north London turned a lawn into a wildlife sanctuary, attracting butterflies, bees, frogs, newts, woodpeckers and a peregrine falcon.
  2. 02Her ADHD diagnosis explains why the garden’s natural dopamine boosts outshine any drug, providing a healthy, daily reward for observing wildlife.
  3. 03Moran argues that social media and powerful elites thrive on public despair, and that individual acts of hope can undermine engineered hopelessness.
  4. 04In her book How to Be Hopeful, she shares practical steps for cultivating optimism, encouraging parents to counter negative narratives with messages of possibility for young people.
The full brief

Journalist Caitlin Moran says hope comes from action rather than mere optimism. After a year of searching for hope, she transformed her north London garden into a wildlife haven, planting ponds and removing lawns. The influx of butterflies, bees, frogs, newts, woodpeckers and a peregrine falcon boosted her mental health, giving her a dopamine hit that outshone any drug.

Moran, who has ADHD, uses the garden as a daily reminder that small, tangible acts can counter chronic anxiety and depression. She links this personal practice to a broader critique of how social media and powerful elites profit from public despair, arguing that individual rebellion against engineered hopelessness can spark change. Her new book, How to Be Hopeful, chronicles this journey and offers practical steps for readers to cultivate optimism in everyday life.

Moran also encourages parents to counter negative narratives with messages of possibility, especially for young people who feel the world is bleak. Finally, she urges people to take responsibility for their online spaces, suggesting that curating positive content can reduce division.