“Hope Without Action Is Just a Wish”

I Hope someday I’ll not feel exhausted all the time. I hope someday I’ll have more time to take care of me.  I hope someday I can stop worrying about my loved one who is making poor choices for their life. I hope someday I’ll have less anxiety. I hope 2021 will be better than 2020. I hope my marriage will be better someday. I hope my relationships with my children will be more functional someday.   Sound familiar?

Webster’s Dictionary defines hope as to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true. What are some of the hopes you have for your future? In what ways have you taken  action toward making these hopes come true?

If you want to feel more rested, are you getting enough sleep or are you putting too many tasks on your daily to do list?

If you need more time for yourself, are you saying yes to more things than no? Remember, when you say yes to something you are also saying no to something. Have you been saying no to yourself too often?

If you want to reduce anxiety in your life, how often are you trying to control situations that you have no control over? Instead of trying to control, let go for now. You can always revisit, but chances are you may be trying to control more circumstances than you realize.

If you want a better marriage and relationships with your children, in what ways are you making a difference? Are you focused more on the negatives and often express this to your loved ones? Or do you do your best to think of all the positive attributes each loved one has and remind them often of how grateful you are for them?

A coaching client celebrated  a success story with me this week.  Before going to bed each night, she and her spouse have been sharing 3 things they are grateful for about each other. After several weeks,  this one little nightly act has made a tremendous improvement in their marriage. My client reported that she and her husband have more respect for each other, they communicate nicer with each other throughout the day, and they have a deeper love and appreciation for each other.  Great example of hope and action!

What about the issues you have little or no control over?

In life, there are many things you have no control over. You have no control over whether it will rain today. You have no control over how drivers will behave on the road. You don’t know when the pandemic will end or  how the current state of the government will play out. You have no control over the choices your adult loved ones will make for their lives and limited control over your teenager.

So, in situations where you have little or no control, what next steps can be taken to improve your quality of life? First and most important, accept that there are circumstances you have no control over. Recognize these situations and began to place focus on what you do have control over.

You do have control over your own behavior.

You do have control over how you respond to other people and to circumstances.

When it comes to a loved one’s poor life choices, are you doing for them what they can be doing for themselves? In other words, who’s more invested in a positive outcome? You or your loved one?  Are your expectations the same as your loved one or are your expectations standing in the way of your loved one figuring things out for themselves?

What about a better 2021? While no one can say whether the issues that made 2020 a challenging year will go away, what  action steps can you take right now to set 2021 up for being a better year?  For instance, are you taking care of yourself so that you are strong and healthy to fight through cold and flu season or a virus like COVID-19?   Do you have goals for the upcoming year? Are you planning frequent events (even small ones) to give yourself something to look forward to?  Are you surrounding yourself with supportive people who encourage you often? Are you connected to a faith community either in person or online to offer you hope and encouragement during the uncertain times in your life?

What do you hope for someday and what steps might you take this week to start moving forward?

Each day, I have the pleasure of walking beside coaching clients as they discover a life filled with more hope regardless of the situations going on around them. If you would like this, I would love to have a conversation with you!

Your life matters!

Tammy

If you found this helpful, Thank YOU for sharing!