Hope isn’t just a touchy-feely word. We now have tons of research that shows us the connection between hope and mental wellbeing, including preventing and treating depression. But what does it mean to have HOPE?
According to Hope Theory (yeah, that’s a thing!) people have high hope when they have these two things:
Waypower: The ability to see a WAY to shape one’s future.
Willpower: The WILL to shape one’s future.
People can become discouraged if they are missing just one of these. For example, a person might have the will to improve a situation, but they can’t see a way. Or vice-versa.
The next time you are your child feels hopeless, think about which of these two ingredients is missing – willpower or waypower? Talk to your child about what they can do to increase the missing ingredients of hope. You can make a list out loud, or even write it down.
