Chapter 2.

What are my hopes?

In uncertain or difficult times, hope can be a powerful tool that can help us to:

• Have clear and valuable goals
• Develop strategies and pathways to achieve these goals
• Give us the ability to put these strategies in action
• There are also many forms of hope. You can have a hope for yourself, a loved one, for a situation, etc. showing that hope can also drive us in more ways than one.

Hope can also be used in less constructive ways, like when we hope that something doesn’t change or when we wish for something to return to what it once was.

Identifying what you hope for yourself is important to help you set future goals and can add positivity to everyday life.

Worksheet 3: Dear Me

Worksheet 3 is a purposeful activity to help you reflect on your current life and what you would like your best life to look like. After writing the letter to yourself, make sure you keep it somewhere safe so you can reflect on it regularly.

Developing New Forms of Hope

Sometimes it can be hard to find or maintain hope in something when you feel you have been let down or been left feeling vulnerable. This is why it is important to discover what you hope for (for yourself, your life and others in your life).

Some things to consider when you dont feel you have much hope may include:

• Understanding that hope is not constant and we should not expect it to be – it ebbs and flows like the sea tide. It is normal to feel more hopeful some days and less hopeful on others.
• Try not to compare a situation to the past or worry too much about what could go wrong.
• Remind yourself of the hopes you have on a good day (reading your Dear Me letter may help here too!)

Be kind to yourself and recognise that there may be other factors impacting your perspective at the moment. Are you having a stressful day?Did you sleep well?

If something does not work out the way you hoped, reassess and see if you can find a more achievable goal.

Stories of hope

Sometimes hearing other peoples stories helps us to find hope in our own lives. Below you will find links to peoples stories that you can explore, along with other resources to help you in your own wellness journey.

What hope do you find in music? “Music is an outlet I’ve used for a lot of my life to get good feelings in or bad feelings out” How does Osher use music help manage his symptoms of mental illness?  find out here.

Kaitlin: Finding my Voice “I’ve learnt to be open with those who surround me with constant love, hope & acceptance.” read more here

More information on the ‘Lets Talk About Mental Health’ podcast can be found here

Resources

• PositivePsychology: What is Hope in Psychology ( includes exercises and worksheets)

Websites

• Being: The Importance of Hope in Mental Health
• Parenting Mental Health: Hope- A Podcase for parents of children with poor mental health