How Hope Works: One Step at a Time

When Anita came to her first walking group, she stood off to the side, hood pulled up, hands in her pockets. She’d been spending most of her time at home, speaking to no one outside of her care team. The idea of joining a group initially made her feel sick, but her support worker helped her across the line by offering to attend together. For the first few weeks, Anita didn’t say much. She kept pace at the back, listening more than talking. But she kept coming. In week four, she pointed out a shortcut no one had noticed before. By week six, she was making coffee and tea after the walk. It wasn’t a dramatic turnaround, she still found it tough, but she’d gone from speaking to no one to greeting everyone by name.

Hope doesn’t always appear as a sudden burst of optimism. Often, it’s built from small wins that build momentum over time.

According to psychologist C.R. Snyder’s influential ‘Hope Theory,’ hope can be understood as a combination of two key ingredients that work together.

Think of it like wanting to get to the other side of a creek. The first ingredient you might need is the 'I Can' feeling, the motivation and belief. It's the part of you that decides, "I want to get across; I believe I can do it." But that inner strength alone might not be enough. It can be paired with the second ingredient: seeing the path forward. This is your ability to look at the creek and notice the stepping stones that could get you there. You don't need to see the entire journey perfectly, but maybe you can identify one or two steps to get you started.

When these two ingredients come together, hope is born. It can become an active, goal-directed mindset that says: "I know where I want to go, and I have what it takes to find a way there."

Our approach is built on helping people cultivate both ingredients of hope. We don't just preach that a better future is possible; we partner with you to turn it into action.

We help nurture the 'I Can' feeling by focusing on your strengths, not your limitations. We create communities and environments where you feel cheered on, where your progress is celebrated, and where you are reminded of your own resilience. When you are surrounded by people who see your potential, that ‘I can’ feeling can grow stronger.

And we can help you find the stepping stones. Our groups and other supports can be the practical steps you take. A walking group can be a tangible step toward fighting isolation. A chat with a support worker can help you break down a big goal into a smaller, more manageable plan. We can help you find that very next stone to step on, so the journey

ahead doesn't feel so overwhelming.

Curious about finding your next step?

Speak to one of our experts

Hope doesn't have to feel like magic. It can be thought of as a practical skill and a mindset you can develop. By understanding its parts, you can begin to see where you might need a little more support; whether that’s in building your self-belief or in finding a clear path forward.