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8 ways to foster hope in your daily life

Fostering hope and building resiliency are key to your mental and emotional health. Here are a few things you can do to build more hope into your daily life.

Have you ever heard the phrase “the glass is always half full?” It’s a popular expression some people use to convey hopefulness and optimism. However, “looking at the glass half full” isn’t always easy. Feeling positive about the future (optimism) can be good for your mental and physical health. Here are some things you can do to foster hope in your daily life:

• Think positive: concentrating on the positive and looking for the good in a situation can help you feel better about things.
• Look at the big picture: taking a step back from the small stuff to look at the big picture can help you see things in a new way. Putting things in perspective can help you shift your outlook on life.
• Focus on the future: thinking ahead about how things will change — and how you’d like them to change — can remind you that things won’t be this way forever. Try to think of things you can do to shape your own future (e.g. set goals, identify priorities, etc.).
• Be inspired: it may be helpful to listen to your favourite music, read an uplifting story or watch an inspirational movie. Learning about other people’s stories can show you that there can be positives in even the most difficult situations.
• Celebrate your success: try to acknowledge your achievements and the fact that you’ve made it through every challenge up until now. Try not to dwell on negative self-talk and remember that it’s OK when things don’t work out as planned, too. (This can help you build resilience to tackle whatever the future holds for you.)
• Be patient: everyone has good days and bad days. Try to remember that things can and will get better. It may just take a little time for things to get sorted out.
• Get involved: lending a hand (e.g. volunteering your time) can help you spread the message of hope so others, including yourself, can nurture it.
• Talk about it: reaching out to a parent/caregiver, friend or other important person in your life may help you find sources of hope. If you’re struggling to find hope in your daily life, you can always call a Kids Help Phone counsellor at 1-800-668-6868.

Fostering hope is essential for your mental and emotional well-being. Remember that hope is all around and you can get through whatever’s going on in your life. Try to think positive, look at the big picture and get help when you need it.