High Hopes: Lessons from Ants, a Dog, and Women Who Refuse to Quit

Ants Don’t Quit

Just what makes that little old ant think he’ll move that rubber tree plant?

Science says ants can lift 10–50 times their body weight, have been around for 130 million years, and thrive because of their collective strength.

If ants can do the impossible, maybe we can too.

Wait. Wait. I can't let Michelle yap, yap anymore about hope and ants. She needs my help.

Hi. Buddy here. I hijacked this blog because Michelle was being a drag.

You want to know what hope is? I’ll show you. Hope is:

• My orange couch.
• Michelle opening my crate every morning, my whole-body wiggling.
• The sun warming my fur on our morning walk.
• Chasing rabbits, barking at Daisy, Cardi B, Willow, and Lea.
• Snacks. Bowls of them.
• Itty Bitty Doggie Care with my friends, Isabelle, Rigatoni, and Sunny.

Yeah, I’ve got my own problems like my underbite, halitosis, a skin condition, and I follow Michelle into the bathroom. But every morning when the door opens, I get another big beautiful day.

I’m a lucky son of a bitch.

Back to Michelle: The Weight of the World

Buddy’s right. He finds joy in the small things.
Me? I’m weighed down by:

• Patriarchy.
• Sexual harassment.
• Misogyny.
• DEI cuts.
• Hunger.
• Homelessness.
• Racism.
• Gun violence.

Sometimes it feels impossible.

And then I remember: that’s the point.

They want us to feel powerless and hopeless, so that we stay quiet and complacent.

Hope Is Power

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s:

• Mindset – choosing to believe in a better future.
• The Stockdale Paradox – facing brutal reality + faith in the end.
• Self-agency – refusing victimhood, choosing action.

Hope builds resilience, boosts motivation, heals, creates vision, and fosters optimism.

Like ants, like Buddy, we keep going.

LOUDER GIRL = Hope in Action

LOUDER GIRL is hope. It’s us linking arms, telling stories, reclaiming our power. Together, we move the damn rubber plant.

Upcoming Gatherings

If you're ready to unleash your happiness through storytelling, join me at the next FREE immersive LOUDER GIRL Webinar:

BECOMING A LOUDER GIRL: Call in Your Power, Let Go of Your Limits, and Blind 'Em with Your Brilliance
Date: September 22, 2025
Time: 4 PM to 5 PM Pacific
RSVP Here: https://www.loudergirl.com/webinar
You’ll walk away with new clarity, renewed confidence, and maybe even the first chapter of your transformation.

HEROINE RISING
A 6-week live workshop beginning November 6th. Together, we will:

• Quiet the inner critic.
• Release limiting beliefs.
• Step boldly into our stories.

Date: every Thursdays beginning November 6th
Time: 4 pm – 5:30 pm PT
Where: Live on Zoom
Sign up here: https://www.loudergirl.com/gatherings
Through guided storytelling, writing, and sisterhood, you’ll learn to take up space unapologetically, speak your truth with confidence, and rise in the company of women who uplift and celebrate you.