HOPE Chat Live 2026 Kicks Off with a Powerful Conversation on Identity, Leadership & Purpose
The first season of HOPE Chat Live 2026 officially launched with intention, depth, and meaning setting the tone for a year centered on clarity, alignment, and becoming again.
Hosted by Cheryl Pullins, Editor-in-Chief and Brand Strategist of HOPE Media Group, the opening conversation featured special guest Dr. Stephanie Kirkland, whose work in identity and leadership speaks directly to women navigating growth, visibility, and purpose in midlife and beyond.
From the very beginning, the conversation made one thing clear: identity is not a soft skill it is foundational.
Identity Before Roles, Titles, and Responsibilities
Dr. Stephanie shared that much of the burnout experienced by high-achieving women doesn’t come from doing too much, but from living disconnected from who they truly are.
Many of us live out roles leader, mother, professional, caregiver without allowing purpose to flow through those roles. When identity is unclear, responsibility becomes heavy, and fulfillment feels out of reach.
This insight resonated deeply with the HOPE audience, many of whom are building, leading, and evolving while also asking, “Is this really it?”
The Four Questions That Ground Identity Work
At the heart of the conversation were four intentional questions Dr. Stephanie teaches as a starting point for identity work:
Why did I do that?
Why did I say that?
Where did that come from?
Do I want to keep it?
These questions aren’t meant to create judgment they create awareness. Awareness gives us information, and information allows us to choose differently.
For many viewers, this framework offered language for feelings they’ve carried for years but hadn’t yet named.
Why Leaders Default Under Pressure
One of the most impactful moments of the live came when Dr. Stephanie connected identity to neuroscience.
She explained that under pressure, the brain doesn’t rely on learned skills it returns to default. That default is shaped by identity, lived experience, beliefs, and early conditioning.
Without identity work, leadership training alone can’t override ingrained responses. This is why so many leaders struggle with alignment, even when they are capable and accomplished.
Identity, she emphasized, is the infrastructure of leadership.
“Your Life Is the Work”
Perhaps the most memorable line from the conversation was simple, but profound:
“Your life is the work.”
Identity isn’t practiced only on stages or in boardrooms. It shows up in everyday moments in boundaries, decisions, reactions, and values.
Dr. Stephanie shared that what we do in one area of life shows up everywhere. When integrity, authenticity, and clarity are practiced daily, leadership becomes sustainable and legacy-driven.
A Strong Start to the HOPE Chat Live 2026 Season
This opening conversation marked more than just the start of a new season it reaffirmed HOPE’s commitment to meaningful dialogue that honors the full lived experience of women.
HOPE Chat Live 2026 will continue to explore conversations around leadership, healing, purpose, identity, and legacy creating space for women to be seen, heard, and celebrated in every season of life.
