“Hope is not a strategy” is something my teacher often said. He wasn’t proposing a lack of hope but was encouraging us to take constructive action on our dreams and desires.
This quote opened a deep discussion on a recent Podcast I was on. I didn’t have a snappy answer that day, but upon further reflection, I can now see what he meant. We do want to feel hope as a state of trust for a positive outcome. We don’t want to fall into the trap of expectations by “wishing” for something to happen without taking active steps to put our energy forward in the direction of the desired outcome.
As 2025 ends, we may reflect on this past year with a sense of relief that we have come through stronger and more resilient during these ever-changing times. For most of us, there have been some surprises, some disappointments and some key gains both personally and professionally. We also felt the impact of our stress- those times when we tumble over the edge of our emotional-mental roller coaster.
As this year wraps up, it is a very natural time to dream ahead about what we desire for the year ahead in 2026. What is our inspiration? What do we want more of? What do we want less of? Where is our edge to grow with?
In some form, we can do a little self-inventory to assess what we truly desire:
- What will stabilize our happiness to anchor what we are grateful for so we can say “yes” to opportunities that life presents? What regular practices will promote our emotional balance?
- How can we gain better health, as the true measure of our wealth? Where is change needed to uplevel our health?
- How can we experience more humor so we can lighten up and not take life so seriously, especially relative to our stress patterns? Where do we need to gain the ability to see a new perspective on those things we can’t change? (aka learning from our mistakes to become wiser!)
- How can we tap into courageous hope as an optimistic state of mind based on trust for positive outcomes and not just a “wish” for it to be so? What actions can we take to move our dreams forward, rather than waiting and wishing for them to happen?
- Harmony in 2026 is truly based on having all four of the above states in balance.
To achieve harmony, we must cultivate a conscious state of awareness that balances our emotions, takes responsibility for our health choices, and opens our minds to new perspectives on our old viewpoints with humor. This allows us to lighten up and break free from polarizing tunnel vision. What is possible with a 180-degree shift to a new perspective?
Need- If you don’t have it, you will suffer long-term pain that requires external help to get out of the situation. What are your true needs in life?
Want- You would like to have it, and may feel short-term pain without it, but you can survive without it. Are you able to meet your needs and be open to leveling up in your life?
Desire- Something you would like to have in your life to which you are not attached; you can totally live with or without it. (But wouldn’t it be amazing if you dreamed it into your life?)
What are your true desires for 2026?
How will you take behavioral steps to leverage your hope to manifest your desires? How will you keep these desires on your radar and not fall prey to distraction and busy routines that keep you stuck in your comfort zone?
Stress Mastery Coaching is a partnership designed to support your steady, progressive steps forward to bring what you desire into your life. Whether it is a lifestyle change, transforming a habit, or creating momentum to stretch beyond your comfort zone to up-level your personal or professional life. Coaching can empower you to make change efficiently. You can make your desires more than a wish that may happen. Hope based on trust with action steps towards a positive outcome will empower you to stay focused on your desired change. The key to leveraging hope is to remember where your attention goes, is what grows.
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