The world continues to navigate the profound and lasting effects of the pandemic, impacting individuals and businesses alike across political, economic, social, and environmental landscapes. Leaders today face a complex web of challenges—ranging from economic instability to technological disruptions—requiring resilience, adaptability, and strategic decision-making.
In times of uncertainty, we often seek guiding principles to help us move forward. While I don't claim to have all the answers, embracing Faith, Hope, and Conscious Choices has helped me cultivate clarity and resilience. In this blog, I share reflections on how these principles can empower individuals and leaders to navigate change with confidence and purpose.
FAITH
Faith involves believing that there is a higher being, a higher purpose than what I can be, influence, or create. I’ll stop here to quote some of the greatest minds of our times:
"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special." - Stephen Hawking
Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light." - Helen Keller
My faith in this higher purpose helps me be confident that things will ultimately work out, even with so much disruption, discord, unrest, and uncertainty—even without knowing exactly how they could work out.
My faith helps me accept that things might not work out and be OK with that, too. With faith, we can stalwartly make a plan that positively impacts others.
"We cannot depend solely on our material wealth, on our military might, or on an intellectual skill or physical courage to see us safely through the seas that we must sail in the months and years to come. Along with all of these, we need faith." - John F. Kennedy.
It’s a tall order to invite faith as we tackle our daily challenges and embrace faith with many uncertainties ahead. So, I rely on HOPE to keep me centered.
HOPE
I practice Hope by embracing the happiness chemicals: Dopamine, the reward chemical; Oxytocin, the love hormone; Endorphin, the painkiller; and Serotonin, the mood stabilizer.
It feels good to eat healthy food, take a long hot bath every night, get sufficient sleep, and achieve a goal.
I enjoy socializing and helping others, and I dote on my husband, my daughter, my friends, and my dog.
I (attempt to) walk an hour daily, laugh easily and often, and belong to four choirs and several communities.
I take frequent breaks in my garden, feeling the sun and watching my seeds sprout, expand, and bloom.
These practices give me HOPE so that I can continue to have FAITH.
CHOICES
If I can have the FAITH, and keep my HOPEs high, I focus on making CHOICEs that support my hope and my faith. My most significant learning from college and early career years is that NATURE defines the range. NURTURE dictates where we fall within that range, but the CHOICES we make in each moment map out what happens now and reshape what happens in our future. In my decades of experience since then, I’ve learned to reflect regularly on my choices, to err on the side of kindness, and to err on the side of learning and serving others.
We are all undergoing journeys of self-discovery in search of an inspired and meaningful life. Adopting FAITH and embracing HOPE will help you make the CHOICES in the moment that influence you today and your tomorrow.