If you've ever used a physical reminder as a spiritual motivator, you should know that you're in good company. One enduring folk tale finds King Solomon himself searching for some kind of help for his sadness and finding it in a ring made with the engraving "This too will pass." When he looked at the ring, it changed his mood.

Many of us know that saying as the cool balm that it is to the sad or depressed soul.

But let's dig deeper to see if we can add back some of the power that cliché has claimed, and even find it ourselves in the ring as a gentle and constant reminder.

Beware of the Time Warp

Extremely stressful situations or depression can change our concept of time.

If I were to tell you that you would experience a deep depression for two weeks, 4 days, 5 hours, 22 minutes and then you'll be ok, there is a good chance you would be better prepared to confront that depression. Of course, though, predicting deep feelings is not possible.

That means it is possible for often unexpected high stress or depression to 'break our clocks' (if not clean them.) We end up believing only intellectually that there will be a better time after this; but we don't really believe it in our hearts, or else we would be able to use that hope as a very present strength.

Know How to Use Hope

Hope can only refer to a future state, but the substance of Hope is that of a bona fide tool that I can use right now to strengthen my resolve and embolden my spirit.

But let's take this out of the clouds for a sec, down to earth and into a sauna – a real sauna.

The only reason a sauna feels good is because you know before you walk in that you can leave. Imagine what that heat would feel like if you knew ahead of time that you would spend the rest of your days on that hot wooden bench. I guarantee that the first 5 minutes would be hotter than the first five of the person who knows she can leave.

We take the ostensible discomfort of the sauna and use the pretty realistic hope of leaving it to convert the heat into pleasure. And all we've really done is change the way we think of our time in the sauna.

Find Joy Even in the Darkest Moment

I'm not saying you'll convert a bad time into pleasure, but, along that same continuum, hope does give rise to joy, that quiet strength in the midst of the worst of times, when you recognize that: This too will pass, and this moment is not my destiny.

Just remember and then believe honestly: This too, Will Pass. Or just glance at your hand, then raise up and keep it moving.