This week of Thanksgiving, I'm reigniting HOPE. The last two weeks have been hard for me. I felt my heart rip into a million tiny little pieces. I struggled with anger and even hatred, and I felt powerless. Alone. Hopeless.
This scared me. I pride myself on being a beacon of HOPE. I cry at the end of Hallmark commercials. I hug Uber drivers. I actually stop to smell roses!
Feeling hopeless feels like dying. Maybe you get this. Maybe you've lost hope in love. Or in your child's future. Or in your dreams ever coming to fruition.
When you lose hope, you allow your vision, your dreams, your ideals to die.
We can't let that happen! I won't let that happen – for you, for me, for all of us. Not on my watch. HOPE is the answer to fueling your JOY, your PURPOSE, and your happiest LIFE.
In graduate school, a brilliant doctor, Dr. Chris Feudtner, of the palliative care unit of UPenn's Children's Hospital came to speak to us. He has the awful job of telling parents that their child has a terminal illness. After he shares the horrible news, he asks, “In light of this, what are you hoping for?” Naturally, every parents says, “For my child to live.” He nods with understanding and compassion. Then he says, “And if we can't do that, what else are you hoping for?” This leads parents to ask the Make-A-Wish foundation to send their child to Disney World, or for the child to be comfortable at home.
Put simply, HOPE allows you to take back control! Hope makes you BELIEVE. Hope gives you the POWER.
And that's why I love hope. HOPE SETS INTENTION. And intention create action.
Hope ignites a spark that leads to a burning flame. When you have hope, your brain naturally begins thinking of strategies to achieve what you want, and your heart becomes excited and motivated to make it happen.
You may not get the exact thing what you want, for you aren't in control of other people- my candidate lost the election; your marriage may not work out; your boss may give the promotion to someone else. But, you can ALWAYS have the essence of what you want. You can create something better than you imagined. You can have peace, joy, and purpose, and in that, is freedom.
Here's how it works: As an example, if you want your marriage to be better – what does “better” mean (more intimacy, a friendship, shared responsibility?) Your answer is what you're hoping for. Such as “I'm hoping for more intimacy”. Now let your brain ask, “How can I make that happen? What are the possibilities?” You may find that you can't have what you need in THIS marriage, but your hope can ignite the flame to receive it in your next relationship. See what I mean? Hope creates motivation and energy to take EMPOWERED action.
So what is in your control? What are you hoping for?
Here's what I'm hoping for next year:
- I'm hoping to inspire and EMPOWER 1 million women next year.
- I'm hoping to complete my book proposal in 2017.
- I'm hoping to become a mom in 2017.
- I'm hoping to spread love, power, and wild woman energy worldwide.
So as you go into Thanksgiving week this year, in addition to gratitude, give yourself a big heaping helping of HOPE, knowing that it will lead you to being the EMPOWERED woman you were born to be.
With so much love,
Carin
PS – Last week, I announced that my most transformative coaching program, EMPOWERED launches on January 1. This 4-month group program teaches you how to take back control of your life. By the end of our journey, you will be clear on what you want, you will have shed the fear holding you back, and you will have a plan to move forward. To give you personal attention, there are only 6 remaining slots. If you're ready to take control of your life, is one of these 6 women YOU? {Click here for information for EMPOWERED}
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