When Hope Feels Fragile: Reclaiming Possibility in a Rattled World
A few months ago, most of us thought we had a clearer sense of where we were headed.
The next role.
The next step.
The plan we could lean on.
And yet here we are—in a season where many of those expectations have been upended. People who thought they’d stay are leaving. Others who planned to leave are staying, but in unfamiliar terrain. Teams are shrinking. Priorities are shifting. Job security feels more theoretical than real.
It’s rattling.
And in the midst of it, I’ve heard a quiet question echoing in different forms:
“How hopeful am I allowed to be right now?”
Hope, When Everything Feels Uncertain
We like to think of hope as this bright, energizing force. But when the ground under us feels shaky, hope can feel like a risk—or worse, a luxury.
Brené Brown describes hope not as wishful thinking, but as a cognitive skill: “Hope is a function of struggle. We develop hope not during the easy or comfortable times, but through adversity and discomfort.”
That means hope doesn’t require certainty.
It asks for clarity.
It asks for direction.
And it asks us to take small steps even when the path is still forming.
My Own Hope Reset
I know what it feels like to be knocked off course.
As someone who spent decades in public service and leadership roles, I’ve experienced the moment when you realize that what once made sense no longer fits—and what comes next is murky at best. I’ve made decisions that required me to let go of titles, expectations, and comfort in order to realign with what matters most.
And let me be honest: that process wasn’t graceful. It was layered with grief, second-guessing, and plenty of moments where hope felt very far away.
But I’ve also learned that hope doesn’t require everything to be okay.
It just requires us to stay connected—to our values, our agency, and each other.
So Where Do We Start?
If you’re in a moment of uncertainty—whether personally, professionally, or both—here are a few ways to reclaim even a thread of possibility:
Name what feels off or unexpected. Don’t sugarcoat it. Giving language to your reality is a hopeful act.
Reconnect with your “why.” When the external path is unclear, your internal compass matters more than ever.
Take one small step. Hope builds when we act, not when we wait for clarity to arrive.
Coaching as a Place to Be Real (and Still Move)
Coaching isn’t about staying upbeat or fixing what’s hard.
It’s a space to unpack what’s real—to slow down the noise, hear your own voice again, and start to move with intention. It’s about having someone walk with you through the messy middle and help you build forward in a way that honors your truth.
Because hope doesn’t mean pretending it’s all fine.
It means choosing to believe there’s still something worth building—and beginning, even gently, to build it.
If you're navigating one of those “this isn’t what I expected” seasons—I see you. You're not alone. And you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
Let’s talk. I offer a free intro session to help you reconnect with what matters most.
