Hope helps us fly

I was recently asked this question and I loved it! It made me notice my energy levels and think about what I was really excited and hopeful about.

Spring brings a sense of hope, a sense of wonder and a sense of beginnings and I am learning that being hopeful is an important quality to instil in children to help them fly in the future. Flying is all about having a sense of confidence which I think stems from the hope and possibility that things will change, that we will grow, that we might succeed.

Hopefulness is a leap of faith into the future we most want to create. As well as giving us a sense of confidence, it acts as a tool to grow our resilience. When the going gets tough, it is our hopefulness that helps us to keep going even in the most difficult times. Different to positivity, it is learning to trust, to develop an inner knowing that our next adventure might be just around the corner.

When we coach others, we see them through the lens of hope, we are interested in what they might choose to do next much more than what happened in the past and this helps them fly.

1. Tell them stories that are full of hope, if they are true stories they are even more powerful

2. Ask them regularly to consider what they don’t know yet and encourage them to become even more curious

3. Point out ‘hope’ when you see it, perhaps in others or in nature or in their actions

4. Let them see you practicing ‘hope’ in the way you see others, including yourself.