“Hope isn’t a denial of what is, but a belief that the current situation is not all that can be. You can recognize something’s wrong, but also that it’s not the end of the story.”
Thema Bryant, PhD, APA’s immediate past president
Paused in traffic on a 40-degree day, I watched a woman half running along the footpath, phone in hand, bag slipping off her shoulder, clearly distressed. I quietly said, “you got this”. I hope she makes it to the important event where she needed to be.
It prompted a chain of thoughts about the quiet function of hope. In therapy, part of my work is to hold hope that things change for you after our work is done. That the past, pervasive chatter of self-defeat, looping situations, feelings and patterns of behaviours are no longer the driving force of your life. Equally important, I hold hope that your past does not define who you are. When we look at our stories through the lens of hope, new choices and possibilities emerge. Hope is action oriented, not passive.
The traffic kept moving. I really hope she made it in time. Whatever your hopes are for today, I hope you get there.
I'm cheerleading for you.
More on Hope:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/01/trends-hope-greater-meaning-life