One of the most daunting tasks when publishing a book is finding the right title. It was an absolute battle when the publishing company I was once with and I were choosing the name for my autobiography. Suggestion after suggestion, we were at a friendly standoff at high noon. Slinging titles back and forth. Everyone knows the words printed on the cover determine if a reader wants to crack it open and dive in. This is not a story of finding the right inscription for a collection of chapters bound together; it’s about one of the ideas that entertained my mind during that season of my life. The suggestion I gave for my book title was “Hope Stuck.” As you probably guessed, it was a caps lock REJECT from the publishers. “What does that even mean?”
At first, I felt like an odd title would grab people’s attention, but honestly I was just throwing it out there. It wasn't until recently that these two common words placed side by side crossed my mind again. We are in the eye of a storm that has effected the whole world due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 Virus.
Everything begin to shut down and people were forced from familiar to unknown. A whole new world was born in the matter of months. Companies have had to shift their mindset to address what looked like a potential repeat of 2008 as the stock market depreciated. Some jobs were lost; while others started to work from home, but feeling like it was a matter of time until they joined the unemployment line. A whole world continued to turn, but everything on it was at a standstill.
Sorry about the reminder of the doom and gloom 2020 had to offer, but this post isn’t about being downcast; it’s about how to transition into being Hope Stuck. What was once just a goofy title I pitched finally has come to find meaning. An ever-increasing number of opportunities have stopped in my life and I started to feel stuck. When you’re stuck, you feel like it’s game over, but there’s a secret to paving a new road at a dead end. Hope is the the secret sauce. It’s what continues to help us find a new path when we think the yellow brick road of life has just led us to the edge of nowhere.
The idea of being Hope Stuck doesn't mean you are out of the trenches just yet. The emphasis isn't on the word STUCK; it is more about what you can do when you are at a standstill. What makes Hope Stuck better than just being regular stuck? It’s a vigorous attitude that takes courage and inspires the world around you. An opportunity to rise up! When you are Hope Stuck, you don't lose sight of what lies ahead because hope is a tool that carries us to the finish line. Hope Stuck just might be the approach for you next time you get to the roads that seem to lead to nowhere.
Here’s how you can have adopt the Hope Stuck attitude. You take a step back, take a breath, and write down the things that you can control. Say a serenity prayer for the obstacles that are out of your hands. You can’t just stop there. One must take action. Realize the blacktop doesn't prepare itself. The key component to being Hope Stuck is perseverance. Perseverance is when we steamroll through our suffering and make room for our character to surface. From there, hope is the bypass delivering you to be the person you were created to be.
All things are always easier said then done. The gift of Hope Stuck isn't dropped off from a chimney overnight. It takes time and, for a lot of people, it takes grieving road closures that will never reopen. Writing lamentations the the old way is probably never going to come back and a new reality is on the horizon. Grieve well and don't be ashamed. Be encouraged that it’s ok to be stuck every once in awhile, but it cannot last forever; therefore, choose to be Hope Stuck…
If you are a business that is feeling stuck, take time to do a SWOT analysis. Use this time to improve your strengths and show your employees that you will do everything in your power to fight for them. With Hope Stuck leadership, you can provide a layer of security and create loyal teams. Hope Stuck doesn't have to be engaged for day-to-day, but make sure it’s available for the sake of emergencies.
To the individual that is feeling stuck, I want you to know that you are not alone. These times are still feeling crazy and still carry a sense of unknown. As your external world continues to spin out of control, let’s not lose focus of the internal world that you can control. Like I said earlier in this post, the process starts with grieving well and permitting yourself to self care. As you mourn the change, begin your journey to persevere, embracing the feeling of being Hope Stuck. Be bold and reminder yourself that your are more than capable. Setbacks are only temporary, but hope can be forever. You got this because you're not stuck, you're HOPE STUCK!
