Leah

Looking Back at 2023: A Year of Hope

HOPE

I have a client who frequently uses this phrase in her work and training:

“Hope is not a strategy.”

And while I agree with her when it comes to work and most aspects of life, I learned this year that, sometimes, hope is what you need.

Those of you who’ve been following me — either through real life, social media or my Leah’s Thoughts blog — know that I don’t choose the word that defines my year in January; but instead at the end of the year. I do this because it’s not clear to me at the beginning of the year what life lessons I need to learn for myself. It’s only going through time and life that it becomes clear to me.

I am an action-oriented person. If I want to do something — running, writing, work, travel — I will take steps toward the decision to do it. But, I also know there are things I have absolutely no control over; that I can’t “action” my way through. And while I do have faith that things work out as they should, not knowing the “how” part of the equation is tough for me.

I learned this year that when I had no action or strategy to take, what I did have was hope … and hope is always positive. It’s a manifestation of trust and belief in the future, a person, a bigger plan for myself that I don’t yet know.

Hope showed up for me so frequently and in so many ways in 2023, and I’m so grateful for the gifts it gave me.

Hope is not a strategy. But sometimes it’s what you need.

I am ending this year — and this post — with a photo collage. I’ve been making these year-end photo collages for the last 14 years, even before I put words to the years. I love doing them as they give me a chance to visually reflect on the past year and appreciate all the gifts I have in my life.

Thank you, my loyal friends, for reading my words and being part of my journey through life. May you have peace, love and light on your road through 2024!

A Look Back:

Leah

Looking Back at 2023: A Year of Hope

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