Navigating towards

hope

Through this course, we believe you will find a way forward, gain a sense of agency, and draw strength from your purpose and community for a greater sense of hope.

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Course information

What is hope?

Hope is more than just wishful thinking or a vague sense of optimism; it is a dynamic, goal-oriented way of thinking that powerfully shapes the way we act. Best of all, it can be learned .

While optimism is the broad expectation that things might get better, hope is an active process that identifies concrete pathways to achieve outcomes and sustains the effort to pursue them. This foundational course is designed to help you build an active hope, providing you with the psychological tools to master whatever mountain you face.

In this course, you will explore the four pillars of Hope Theory:

  • WillPower (Agency): Strengthening the "inner drive" and motivation that gets you started and keeps you going when things get tough.

  • WayPower (Pathways): Developing a "roadmap" by learning to find flexible, creative routes around obstacles.

  • WhyPower (Meaning): Connecting to the deeper purpose behind your goals, which acts as an anchor during difficult times.

  • WePower (Community): Recognising that hope is better together and learning to draw strength from your social connections.

By intentionally weaving these powers into your life, you can improve physical health outcomes, increase life satisfaction, and build a protective buffer against discouragement and hopelessness. This course provides the essential conceptual framework that anchors our curriculum, laying the necessary groundwork for you to effectively set goals in the GROW course and strengthen your wellbeing tools in the PERMA course.

What will you learn?

As a result of completing this course, you will:

  • Discover that hope is not just wishful thinking or optimism, but an active, goal-oriented way of thinking.

  • Explore how meaningful goals form the foundation of hope by giving direction and focus to your actions.

  • Learn how hope is linked to better physical health, psychological wellbeing, and stronger relationships.

  • Explore the two core pillars of Hope Theory—WillPower (agency) and WayPower (pathways)—and how they work together to help you pursue meaningful goals.

  • Begin thinking about strategies you can use (again) for improving agency and adapting to obstacles.

  • Understand the role of WhyPower (meaning) and WePower (community) in Hope Theory, and how they help strengthen and sustain hope over time.

  • Reflect on how your past experiences have shaped your strengths, values, and sense of direction.

  • Learn how to strengthen your hope by building, accessing, and contributing to supportive relationships and communities.

By the end of the course, you will have a deeper understanding of how hope works and a practical set of tools for moving towards the life you want to live.

Who is this course for?

This course is specifically designed for individuals navigating neurological disorders or chronic health conditions who are seeking to find meaning and maintain a sense of direction.

It is ideal for anyone who wants to learn how hope can be actively cultivated rather than passively felt, providing a starting point for those ready to pursue a meaningful goal or outdoor adventure.

Between every two pine trees there is a door leading to a new way of life.

-John Muir

References

Botor, N. J. (2019). Hope predicts happiness with life, personal well-being, and resilience among selected school-going Filipino adolescents. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR), 47(2), 125–141.

Colla, R., Williams, P., Oades, L. G., & Camacho-Morles, J. (2022). “A New Hope” for Positive Psychology: A dynamic systems reconceptualization of hope theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 809053. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.809053

Long, K. N., Kim, E. S., Chen, Y., Wilson, M. F., Worthington, E. L., Jr., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). The role of hope in subsequent health and well-being for older adults: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach. Global Epidemiology, 2, 100018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloepi.2020.100018

Snyder, C. R. (2002). Hope Theory: Rainbows in the mind. Psychological Inquiry, 13(4), 249–275. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1304_01