Understand that hope is not a passive state of optimism but a trainable and extremely useful mental skill that can be actively developed.
Allow hope to force you to clarify your core values. Once your values are clear, it helps you to double down on hope and guide your actions.
Understand that you are never in a choice-free environment, even when outcomes depend on others. The mere existence of choices provides a continuous reason to maintain hope.
Define a specific, meaningful end-game or outcome that you are moving towards. Hope is optimism with a plan, and that plan must lead to something concrete.
Recognize that if an outcome is not certain, then your desired possibility is still within the pool of potential outcomes. This perspective allows you to believe that anything you want to be is possible.
If a story you’re telling yourself (e.g., about fear or failure) doesn’t serve your goals, consciously stop telling it. Pivot to another story that can serve you better and align with your desired outcomes.
Evaluate the realism of your self-narratives by examining the actual data of your life. Focus on the moments of success, which often outnumber failures, to build a more accurate self-perception.
Deliberately focus on positive data and narratives, and surround yourself with people who reflect reasons for hope. Avoid dwelling on failures or negativity to maintain a hopeful outlook.
In moments of overwhelming difficulty or stress, a temporary dose of denial can be a helpful bridge. Use it to get through the immediate moment until you can process data differently and more constructively.
Actively connect with others who can reflect reasons for hope, help fill gaps in your plans, and provide fuel through gratitude and shared purpose. Being in community strengthens your sense of possibility.
Make the daily effort to pick up a phone, text someone, or engage in other forms of connection. These actions allow you to appreciate the awesomeness of humans and the life you get to live.
Actively seek and piece together empirical data from your own life or others’ experiences. This evidence demonstrates the feasibility of your goals, confirming that they are possible even if not easy.
Study the actions and strategies of people who have overcome similar roadblocks to yours. Find specific ’nuggets’ of wisdom that can guide you towards your own goals.
Develop the ability to envision a desired future that isn’t currently visible. Imagine it in enough detail to work towards it and recognize its emerging pieces as you progress.
When an initial plan doesn’t work out, be prepared to adjust your approach. This flexibility ensures you can still achieve the core of what you ultimately want, even if the path changes.
Consciously choose not to believe or internalize the negative opinions of those who tell you that you cannot achieve your goals. Protect your hope from external negativity.
Engage in self-reflection to understand how the stories you tell about yourself serve or disserve you. This therapeutic process helps identify self-limiting narratives.
Actively seek out and incorporate overlooked details from your life that create a more complete and often counter-narrative to self-limiting beliefs. This provides a more balanced view of your experiences.
Understand that you are continuously shaping yourself through every decision, every second, every minute, every day. This perspective empowers you with agency over who you become.
Actively look for goodness and shared human experiences in others, including those you perceive as different or adversarial. This is a crucial source of hope for connection and coexistence.
Critically evaluate the narratives you hold about other people or groups. Seek counter-stories and overlooked data that could foster better intergroup relationships and understanding.
Practice self-awareness by acknowledging your own fears and vulnerabilities. This allows you to better understand and connect with the humanity in others, building bridges across differences.
Leverage a strong sense of gratitude for your privileges and resources to motivate daily decisions. Focus on actions that are meaningful and helpful to others, living a life of purpose.
Prioritize and aim towards the most important things for yourself and your community, especially during times of crisis. This focus guides collective action towards optimal outcomes.
Actively look for potential positive outcomes and opportunities, even in challenging situations. Remain grounded in present reality while envisioning a better future.
Understand that your individual choices (micro) can contribute to broader positive changes (macro). Appreciate that if enough people make outward-facing decisions, good things can be achieved together.