Emotion · Joy family
Hope
noun
The belief that a better future is possible, paired with the willingness to work toward it.
How it shows up in the body
Lifting energy, leaning forward, a looser chest, imagination switching on.
What it is telling you
You can picture a way forward. Hope is a decision as much as a feeling — it grows when you take steps.
The urge — and the choice
To protect yourself by not hoping. The choice is to name one goal and one path toward it.
One thing to try
Write one goal, two possible paths, and one person who could help on each path.
Practice it: Feelings journal.
Read more: Emotional literacy in prisons and reentry
