By: Stacy Blakeley, CEO of The Policy Circle
Currently, I am sitting next to the fire in Colorado. Snow is swirling and I feel like I live in a snow globe. This calm and quiet moment in an otherwise frenetic year is so soothing—I don’t know what day it is. However, this moment won’t last, and the new year is calling.
I travel frequently – all over the country, meeting with new and existing friends, partners, and supporters of TPC. Spending time with my favorite folks from coast to coast allows me to converse with people with wide-ranging perspectives. A new theme emerged after a tumultuous election year and constant discussions of politics, controversies, and cabinet bingo. There is, dare I say it, HOPE.
For many, this new administration’s focus on (finally) tackling the national debt and trimming the fat and waste of government is a much-needed shift. Talking to business owners, they seem eager to innovate and grow without regulations that stifle progress and bury them in paperwork/expenses. From parents of school-age children, there is a collective sigh of relief that advocates for parental empowerment are sitting in seats of influence for the first time in a long time. Many of the folks I meet are justifiably cautious in their optimism but are encouraged about 2025.
Of course, those disappointed in the election’s outcomes are fearful. It doesn’t help that extreme voices on both sides are still clamoring for clicks and pushing hateful and misleading narratives. Doomsday predictions, deep mistrust, and conspiracy theories thrive in an environment full of fear. (And what are those drones doing?)
Faith, which is defined as complete trust or confidence in someone or something, is the way to build on hope and push out fear. Faith takes on many forms. The best-known is faith in a higher power. TPC explored the intersection of Faith and Civic life with a new Brief and launch event last year—check out the conversations with Governor and First Lady Youngkin and the expert panel discussions. This compelling topic provided new insights into how faith impacts public policy and freedom of religion.
Faith in yourself and in others to make positive change is a cornerstone of The Policy Circle’s mission to inform, equip, and connect women to be more impactful citizens and civic leaders. Faith in others has been sorely lacking in recent years, but there is an opportunity in the new year to re-invest in your community. Getting to know your neighbors and finding ways to serve can help build trust and restore the collective faith in one another.
Faith in yourself is rooted in confidence, experience, and peers who lift you up. The Policy Circle provides many opportunities to boost your confidence through knowledge and connection through local Policy Circles. We increase your skills and provide a supportive network so you can show up prepared, identify opportunities to lead, and be a civic changemaker.
Join us this new year with a renewed sense of hope and purpose. We have faith in your potential and cannot wait to see how you restore trust and influence policy, leading to greater human flourishing in your hometown. Let’s go!
Also, if you need some motivational music, this playlist has been on repeat—thus, the title of the blog.
