Consumer Mindset - February 2026
As we move further into the year, the contrast between the chaotic world around people and the steadier world within their control is becoming more pronounced. External pressures such as economic uncertainty, global instability, social tension and a general sense of acceleration continue to intensify.
These forces are volatile and largely outside individual control, creating a backdrop where people increasingly feel the weight of circumstances acting upon them. Yet when we turn to the internal factors people can influence, such as state of mind, social connection and the joy and fun they experience, we see a different pattern. These measures remain comparatively stable year on year.
In the midst of external unpredictability, people are holding onto the everyday actions and micro‑routines that lift them, connect them and help them stay oriented.
This consistency suggests that people aren’t retreating from the world but rather, they’re investing consciously in the small domains they can shape.
This behaviour embodies the essence of Hope Theory. Hope isn’t simply an emotion or a passive sense that things might improve. It’s a cognitive process and an action, grounded in three components: goals (the end‑states people are moving toward), pathways (the belief there are routes to get there) and agency (the belief they can take those steps). When these three elements come together, hope becomes something people do, not just something they feel.
What we’re seeing this February is an expression of this active, lived hope. People may not be able to shift global or national systems, but they can create and maintain small pathways in their daily lives.
They can realise this by reaching out to others, seeking moments of joy, adjusting their mindset, participating in their community and protecting what feels meaningful.
These are everyday actions that provide relief, grounding and direction. They’re not a fix for external pressures, but a form of respite from them. In this way, hope functions less as a solution to large‑scale challenges and more as a stabilising practice that helps people navigate them. Importantly, this doesn’t mean hope is masking or compensating for external strain. Rather, it reflects a form of everyday, actionable hope; a practical, sustaining force that gives people enough space, clarity and energy to keep moving within their world.
So, what does this mean for organisations?
This means that people aren’t always actively looking for grand solutions to complex external pressures. They’re looking for moments that feel light, grounding, connective or energising.
Organisations and brands can play directly into this. They can participate in this form of hope by creating experiences, communications and touchpoints that offer respite, delight, perspective or a sense of cultural connection. It’s not about solving the big issues; it’s about contributing to the small, meaningful moments that help people feel steady and future‑facing.
Brands can be catalysts of everyday, accessible hope; the kind that helps people lift their head, breathe out and feel just a little more equipped for what’s ahead.
Keep an eye out for Core’s upcoming report The Shape of Irishness: Exploring Culture & Identity launching in March. It will explore Ireland’s cultural renaissance and how Irish identity, creativity and community pride are evolving in contemporary society.
