Hope as the antidote

[This article is part of the 2024 Trends Report]

It’s easy to feel discouraged about the persistent onslaught of difficulties in the world today, whether these be personal circumstances or social issues. Psychologists, some of whom have a close-up view of the suffering these difficulties inflict, may find it especially difficult to stay positive about the future. Yet a growing body of research suggests that if you want to cultivate positive change—in yourself, others, or society—restoring hope is a vital first step.

Start by understanding what hope is—and what it isn’t. Hope is sometimes equated with burying your head in the sand and ignoring reality or sitting idly by waiting for things to get better. In reality, hope is a more nuanced, cognitive process that involves well-known psychological concepts, such as goal-setting, agency, and cognitive restructuring.

“Hope isn’t a denial of what is, but a belief that the current situation is not all that can be,” said Thema Bryant, PhD, APA’s immediate past president. “You can recognize something’s wrong, but also that it’s not the end of the story.”

The science of hope

Beginning in the 1980s, the work of the late psychologist C. Rick Snyder, PhD, set the stage for much of today’s research about hope. Snyder defined hope as “the perceived capability to derive pathways to desired goals, and motivate oneself via agency thinking to use those pathways” (Psychological Inquiry, Vol. 13, No. 4, 2002). Snyder also published work on positive psychology, or the study of how people and communities can thrive.

Unlike optimism, which is simply the expectation of a better future, hope is action-oriented and a skill that can be learned. “We often use the word ‘hope’ in place of wishing, like you hope it rains today or you hope someone’s well,” said Chan Hellman, PhD, a professor of psychology and founding director of the Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma. “But wishing is passive toward a goal, and hope is about taking action toward it.”

At the crux of this action is identifying the steps to achieve a goal and working toward them. In one study of a hope-based therapy intervention, researchers had participants write down goals they hoped to meet, followed by several possible pathways toward that goal (Social Indicators Research, Vol. 77, 2006). “You identify where you are currently, and then you generate multiple ways to get there,” said Jennifer Cheavens, PhD, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University in Columbus who developed this hope-focused intervention. After 8 weeks, participants reported more life meaning and self-esteem and fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.

More recently, Cheavens and a former doctoral student, Jane Heiy, PhD, had primary-care patients with elevated symptoms of depression create goals to improve their symptoms. After 10 weeks, patients who defined pathways to improve their mental health were more likely to seek treatment and report less severe depression symptoms than those who participated in an enhanced referral system (doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, 2014).

Along with improving mental health and increasing self-esteem, studies suggest increasing hope can improve symptoms and daily functioning in those with chronic illness (Steffen, L. E., et al., Supportive Care in Cancer, Vol. 28, 2020). Other work has found hope to be a protective factor against posttraumatic stress disorder (Gallagher, M. W., et al., Journal of Clinical Psychology, Vol. 76, No. 3, 2020). Hellman sees hope as a mindset that promotes resilience in the face of difficulty. “If I have the perspective that something better is possible in the future, then I can better endure my struggles today,” he said.

Reaping the benefits of hope involves doing the work of reframing thoughts and forming new habits. But with a shift to your mindset and habits, you can begin to see and work toward the possibility of a better future—and equip others to do the same. Here’s what hope experts recommend:

Break goals into smaller chunks

If you’re taking your first steps toward hope, big goals might overwhelm you—and zap your ability to envision success. On the other hand, smaller goals allow more frequent achievements, which can highlight the possibility of progress and energize you toward a goal.

It’s important to keep pathways small and manageable. For people with depression and anxiety specifically, successfully taking small steps can in turn cultivate more hope and boost motivation to continue taking action. “As you realize it feels good to do something, you’re more likely to do it again,” said Shara Sand, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City. “Engagement increases, and so does your sense of hope about the future.”

Matthew W. Gallagher, PhD, a professor of clinical and quantitative psychology at the University of Houston and editor of the Oxford Handbook of Hope, also recommends making goals specific and concrete. Hope is about embracing possibility, and it’s easier to maintain hope when you feel that your goals are achievable rather than lofty and distant.

Stay in community

Hope can occur in isolation, but it grows when you’re connected to a supportive and inspiring collective. A community of hopeful people can inspire you by encouraging you in your goals, helping you pivot when you encounter obstacles, or by simply reminding you that overcoming difficulty is possible.

“One benefit of being in a community when you’re trying to maintain hope is there are people who are living examples of what hope looks like when it’s achieved,” said Jacqueline Mattis, PhD, dean of faculty and a professor of psychology at Rutgers University–Newark. “When you’re falling, they’ll be there to reimagine with you what it means to stand.”

In her research of low-income youth, Mary Beth Medvide, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at Suffolk University in Boston, found seeing other people succeed can be motivating—especially in the absence of other support, such as an encouraging family. For example, some adolescents reported feeling they could earn a college degree because their high schools hung banners listing where graduates were attending college.

If you feel powerless about systemic issues, such as racism or climate change, joining forces with a group of people who share your desire for change can increase your hope—and increase the likelihood of change. Collective hope, according to Hellman, involves combining energies to cast a shared vision of the future and identifying strategies to achieve goals. “Big societal issues can feel overwhelming because alone, we can’t move the needle,” he said. “But when we find others who share our story or experience, we collectively form a powerful voice and energy that can influence change.”

Prepare to pivot

When a designated pathway does not lead directly to a goal, you may feel discouraged, which can drain your motivation. Being primed to pivot can help maintain hope. “Try to see setbacks as new information about which strategies work and don’t work, and then modify your approach and goal so you maintain momentum toward what you’re trying to accomplish,” said Gallagher.

Reframing the outcome can help promote flexibility. For example, imagine that you applied for a specific research grant but didn’t get it. Instead of abandoning hope, try a new pathway toward the goal or redefine the end point according to the ultimate goal or the value behind it. Perhaps the grant was more of a pathway toward your goal than a goal itself, and there are other pathways that will work.

With that mindset, you could begin to focus on getting any grant that enables you to conduct your research and help more people. “Don’t be so wedded to specificity of outcome that you lose the big picture and can’t pivot,” said Mattis.

Along with the ability to reframe, this process requires creativity—another learnable skill. “Those who are willing to be open to possibilities can maintain their hope,” said Bryant. “Instead of ‘there is no path,’ you think, ‘I haven’t [yet] found the path that’s going to work.’”

Reflect on the past

Hope, by nature, is future focused. But reflecting on the past can also encourage hope down the road, especially if you feel your hopefulness wavering. “I’ll ask people to be their own ‘hope models’ by reflecting back on a time they achieved something really difficult in their lives, when they chose to take action and it made all the difference,” said Hellman.

This type of reflection can be especially helpful for those with depression, who may have a skewed perspective about their own growth. Kathryn Gordon, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author of The Suicidal Thoughts Workbook: CBT Skills to Reduce Emotional Pain, Increase Hope, and Prevent Suicide, developed a framework to restore hope in patients with suicidal ideation. Perspective is an essential ingredient. “I have them gather evidence that they’ve been able to get through difficult things in the past, which helps them identify tools they can use in their current situation,” she said.

If your past feels like a barrier, as is the case for many who have experienced trauma, reflection can help you maintain hope. Benjamin Hardy, PhD, an organizational psychologist and author of several books related to goal-setting and personal growth, recommends identifying ways you’ve changed over time—even from week to week—to promote a growth mindset. “How you frame your past can dictate what you expect for your future,” he said.

Celebrate wins

Counting successes along your journey toward a goal can help energize you to move forward. “When we achieve something, we often take it for granted because our minds go to the next thing we don’t have or haven’t done,” said Bryant. Take time to acknowledge—and celebrate—what you’ve accomplished in the present to support your hopeful mindset for the future.

Even honoring your tiny steps forward through a mindful gratitude practice makes a difference. Imagine your goal is to work at a particular university. You may not have that position today, but you may be doing similar work as you would in that job, whether mentoring students or conducting research. “Your wins may not be in the same context you’re hoping for, but it’s important to recognize that you’re already achieving some aspect of the goal that’s important to you,” said Mattis.

Tracking emotional intensity and noticing how feelings fluctuate can also promote hope, said Gordon, whether personally or for struggling patients or mentees. Even if a difficult emotion, such as sadness or anxiety, does not completely dissipate, tracking it is a reminder that it will not last forever, which can increase hope.

Recognize that you’re already practicing hope

Whether you recognize it or not, hope is inherent to a psychologist’s work because it is rooted in the belief that you can be part of positive change, whether your work focuses on therapy, research, teaching, or myriad other applications. For others, even simply showing up to therapy or a psychology course—whether as a psychologist, patient, or student—is a hopeful act, hinging on the belief that growth and change are possible. “Psychology is not only the study of what is, but the study and enactment of transformation and healing in both individuals and communities,” said Bryant.

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/01/trends-hope-greater-meaning-life