Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop & 5 Reasons to nurture hope

In 1892, Isabella Lucy Bird Bishop became the first woman to be elected to the Royal Geographic Society. At age 21, she began to travel.  Her family sent her on a sea voyage hoping that the travel would be good for her health. She ended up circling the globe three times, at times traveling by elephant.

This adventurer evolved to share her stories as she wrote books, including The English Woman in America (1856), The Hawaiian Archipelago (1875), A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains (1879), Unbeaten Tracks in Japan (1880), Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan (1891), and Korea and Her Neighbors (1898). Her altrusim led her to found hospitals in China and Korea.  What can we learn from the personality of this worldly woman?

1) Challenge conventional wisdom.  Just because people tell you what's good for you doesn't mean they know you or your potential. Isabella Bishop turned the situation of her illness into an excuse to discover parts of herself she hadn't known before.  She challenged what was seen as 'acceptable' and 'appropriate' for women of her era.  She gained insight into herself and did what worked for her.

2) Establish your own way of living.  You may not know exactly what you desire to do or what makes you feel comfortable at that point in your life. Recognize that exploring your interests and options is how you'll discover the sources of your passion. Isabella Bishop turned to writing as a way not only to reflect on her experiences, but also to share cultural lessons she had learned. You too will find your way, so long as you find courage to take intiial steps to get going somewhere.

3) Direct your vision inward.  Temporary disorientation can be remedied by looking into yourself and listening to your inner voice. if you haven't heard that before, its time to discover an effective inner guide. Isabella Bishop learned to trust herself when society and her friends and family were at least initially uncomfortable with some her choices.  She nurtured faith in herself.

4) Follow your instincts.  To orient  yourself and create a hopeful future, it pays to listen to your instincts.  This means you learn to develop trust your dreams. Isabella Bishop realized what each of us creates in the 'her and now' develops through thoughts and hopes as well as action.  As you continue to imagine where you're not, but where you'd like to be, this is how you'll get there.

5) Push your own limits.  Regardless of what other people are doing, you establish your own standards and goals. In order to motivate yourself, pushing yourself beyond what you have already done will keep you motivated and inspired to continue living a mroe fulfilling life than you know.  Isabella Bishop became a pioneer in her own right, not simply to become a lady of firsts, but to pursue her dreams.  She figured out there was much to learn in this mutli-dimensional world.