Personal accomplishment is a gradual process.  Unfortunately in the past, I had a hard time recognizing the achievement taking place in my life because I was so focused on getting to the “destination” that I failed to acknowledge the steps of success along my journey.  When I look back on my life, I can say that I spent so much time being anxious because I wasn’t “there” yet. “There” was an undergraduate degree…an advanced degree…a life changing career…home ownership…my dream car; you know what I’m talking about and you probably can insert your own “there.” My discontent was also driven by me comparing my life to those that seemed to have it together.

Fortunately, I learned the importance of extending compassion to myself and giving myself credit for the growth that was occurring in my life. I now see that what caused my angst in the past…the journey, is the root of my pleasure in the present.  Those steps forward were driven by determination and led me to a life that is meaningful. They have also become the blueprint for the programs that I have created to help women with big dreams and big goals take ownership of their hopes. So for anyone reading this and can relate, recognize your achievements and give yourself credit.

Be Inspired,

Hope Fuller, The Hope Strategist™

Ask anyone that knows me and they know that I have a bad sense of direction. I have gotten behind the wheel to return home after an outing and have driven in the wrong direction more times than I care to remember. Perhaps I wasn’t paying attention to familiar landmarks or maybe I simply was distracted by the drive.   

Thank God for Waze! Waze is a GPS application that requires you to program your destination on a mobile device and it will guide you to that destination. And if, during your travels, you should make a wrong turn, it recalculates your position so that it may lead you back on course.  It also alerts you to any potential dangers in the road!!  If only we had a GPS for life; an instrument that would let you know that your life is off course and instruct you when you need to change directions.  Well guess what?  We do have that and it’s called intuition.

I have a bachelor’s degree in accounting and for many years, I was a happy accountant that enjoyed the autonomy of the work I performed. But somewhere during my journey on the road to upward mobility, my GPS told me that I needed to recalculate and change course.  I no longer cared about the debits equaling the credits and I no longer cared about my employer’s bottom line. I could no longer ignore the familiar landmarks of dread and despair as I arose from my bed every morning to go to a job that I hated and I was tired of being distracted by “a good paycheck” or the fact that “I have a degree in accounting.”

What I did care about was doing work that mattered to my bottom line; work that would give me a sense of purpose and satisfaction. I listened to my GPS and course corrected and I want to encourage you to do the same. So if you spent years building a career that no longer serves you or if the plans you made at an earlier stage of your life no longer fit with the stage you are currently navigating, give yourself permission to change course.

Be Inspired,

Hope Fuller, The Hope Strategist™

In 2004, I decided that I was going to complete the Marine Corp Marathon as it had been on my bucket list since Oprah completed it in 1994 (the power of Oprah!). For you non-marathoners, that’s 26.2 miles of running or in my case a walking/jogging combination. Now mind you, the only activities that I spent an extensive amount of time on was marathon TV watching. So, I decided that a marathon was something that I needed to do before I was called to the upper-room and I created a plan of action so that this endeavor would be successful. I connected with a group and trained weekly, I ate foods that would fuel me during my runs, and I practiced other self-care to make sure I was fit and healthy.  As the day of the run approached, I felt good because I was maintaining my time and everything that I had done in preparation added to this confidence.

Beware, WORDS HAVE POWER!

On the day of the marathon, I had nervous jitters but still felt pretty good…until I got to the start line. Actually, I was at the end of the start line…so imagine about 17,000 people and I was standing behind 16,850 of them, give or take a few dozen. I was overwhelmed with nerves and I remember saying, “I just want to get to the finish line…and that’s exactly what happened; I barely made it to the finish line…while crying and spewing water from my belly.  That morning before the run, I did not speak words to support my success such as “I am prepared, I am strong, or I will finish this marathon boldly”. I spoke anxiety and uncertainty.  So why am I sharing this with you? You can set goals and take the necessary steps to achieve them, but if you allow doubt to distract you and diminish your confidence, you delay the satisfaction of getting the thing for which you are striving.

Remember, the power of life and death is in the tongue.  You hold the power!

Be Inspired,

Hope Fuller, The Hope Strategist™

My name is Hope Fuller.

The name is usually the first piece of information we receive about someone.  Our names can say a lot about who we are. Names can inform others about one’s racial and ethnic heritage and they can also inform the wearer of that moniker about a lineage that shaped them.

I always dreaded the first day of class during my elementary school years. This discontent stemmed from the fact that my first name is Hope.  Children are masters of teasing and you can’t imagine the teasing and ridicule I experienced…I hope it doesn’t rain, I hope we have recess…you get it!  I wished for a name that would blend in with all the other children so that I wouldn’t stand out.

Today, I can say that I love my name! Not only because my beloved mother bestowed it on me at birth, but because it also speaks to my disposition.  Hope is an expectation and desire for something good to happen.  Hope is optimism.  My name is Hope Fuller and I am full of hope.

Be Inspired,

Hope Fuller, The Hope Strategist™