A Virtual Walk on the Beach, With Hope as a Strategy

Ahhh, the Monday after “Spring Break” – I’m usually tan, refreshed and glad to be home after a week at the beach.  Oh, hello 2020.  While I did enjoy family time last week, it was a much different experience as a “Staycation.”  I did a lot of walking – just not on a beach.  Shells collected from previous years put in a vase reminded us of great days at Nokomis Beach and Siesta Key– days we for sure won’t take for granted anymore.  There are so many beach analogies one could make amid this COVID-19 crisis – the ebb and flow of the waves, the shifting sands, being caught off guard by a gust of wind.Allow me to focus on the less obvious – the message of hope.   Sunsets and sunrises over the water inspire hope with their glorious colors.  There’s the hopeful joy of little kids playing in the sand getting wet and dirty – and then jumping in the ocean to wash clean.  Hope comes from looking out on the horizon of the water, knowing the tide will come in again.I’ve instructed clients in media training that “hope is not a strategy – preparation is”- but I may have to amend that a bit after what we are all experiencing.  Hope is important during these days of social isolation and distancing.   It will always be important to be prepared, yet having hope can also keep you moving forward.   I will likely re-frame hope as part of a strategy when I can do in-person training again – a way to stay positive and give your best effort as you prepare for what comes next.  My wish is that you can find rays of hope on these strange, unsettling days, and help others do likewise.  Better days are indeed ahead.