Hope is not a strategy...However!!!

We have all done it, haven’t we?

Had something we know needs to change, and week after week we are like “Well, hopefully, something will change soon.” even though we know nothing changes until we do.

The power we have as humans to redesign our lived experience is extraordinary, and yet our capacity to stay in our comfort zone is equally as impressive.

We often wait until things are so painful we can’t but face up to the changes, and even then we sometimes find ourselves shying away from the tactics, the behaviors and the habits that will really lead to change.

HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY….A STRATEGY is a STRATEGY lol

BUT…one of the things I have 100% been thinking about recently is the power of hope to act as fuel for change.

Because when we are without hope, or hanging onto it for dear life…the prospect of change feels impossible, and when we are able to find, keep hold of and even expand our hope and belief then incredible things happen.

As a life and business strategist who has worked in change and transformation for more than 25 years, I know that having role models gives you hope, being around uplifting people gives you hope, having mentors that believe in you gives you hope, being able to take action without the fear of judgment gives you hope, having a team of cheerleaders with a vested interest in your change gives you hope.

And that’s why working with a coach 121 or in a group setting really makes a difference.

If you can self motivate, and hold yourself accountable, and create structures that move your life and business projects forward without being distracted, or going off on tangents, that’s wonderful, but many of us find that too taxing on our energy…or we simply don’t have the capacity to be our own cheerleader all of the time. 

Plus I don’t believe we are designed to navigate life and business alone anyways.

It’s more fun, it’s more engaging, and it’s more expansive when you share your journey and connect with others.

The world is full of information, learning, gurus and self-help materials…and still, so often we still feel lost. Why? Because it’s not information and knowledge we need, but rather the skill and accountability to organise and implement what we know, testing its effectiveness and suitability as we go…so we don’t give up when things don’t appear to work, or only work for a short time.

When life is going well it is easy to hold on to hope, when it is not…hopelessness is often present and waiting to take hold, so we must find ways to become better at harvesting it.

My top tips for remaining hopeful

1. Gratitude…when you appreciate what you have and what it took to get it you know you have it in you to get anything else you have in mind

2. Nature…ground yourself in the incredible power of the outdoors, look at the sky, lay on the ground, hug a tree…while nature keeps on naturing, there is always something to be hopeful for

3. Positive News.…look out for an seek out positive news stories, not just the stories that sell papers

4. Take Action…completing even the smallest of tasks can give you energy

5. Share how you are feeling…have a small group of trusted friends with who you can share honestly how you are feeling, without them trying to “cheer you up” or FIX YOU….your emotions matter even if they are challenging for others to acknowledge 

Today I am feeling hopeful because I have taken action on sharing this blog…12 years ago I started a blog as a way of expressing how I was feeling as I felt nobody else understood, and that blog went on to be read by millions of people around the world and really contributed to the shifting of a whole industry…now if that is not hope inducing I don’t know what is.