Finding Hope

Why Hope Matters on Difficult Days

This morning the Happiful magazine newsletter landed in my inbox and the title of the newsletter was “It’s OK to look for hope”. It was a pertinent reminder for me to read today on a day when it has not always been easy to take a reflective standpoint and know that even when things aren’t going the way you want them to be, it’s ok to still look for hope.

The Role of Hope in Personal Growth

Hope is a curious thing. It doesn’t demand perfection or certainty; rather, it invites us to hold space for possibility. Often, in moments of difficulty or despair, the idea of hoping can feel almost naïve or even futile. Yet, hope is not about ignoring the challenges we face or pretending everything is fine. It’s about recognising that even amid the struggles, there remains potential for change, growth, and healing.

Transactional Analysis: Understanding the Power of Hope

In psychotherapy, and particularly in Transactional Analysis (TA), hope can be seen as a fundamental part of the journey toward change. TA recognises that we all hold within us the capacity for growth, healing, and creating a new story for ourselves—this is often referred to as the concept of autonomy. Autonomy in TA involves regaining access to three vital human capacities: awareness, spontaneity, and the ability to choose. Hope, in this sense, isn’t a denial of the now; it’s an act of self-compassion and resilience. It reminds us that while we can’t always control the outcomes, we can nurture a mindset that leaves room for the possibility of brighter days.

Breaking Free from Limiting Scripts

TA also explores how past experiences, particularly those formed in early life, can shape the way we approach hope today. Through patterns known as scripts, we develop unconscious narratives about who we are and what we can expect from the world. Sometimes, these scripts might include messages that discourage us from holding onto hope—for example, beliefs like, “Things never work out for me” or “It’s pointless to try.”

Reconnecting with Your Inner Child’s Capacity for Hope

However, TA provides a framework for identifying and challenging these limiting scripts. Through a compassionate and collaborative process, we can begin to rewrite them, allowing ourselves to connect with the hopeful parts of our inner Child state—the part of us that naturally dreams, imagines, and believes in possibilities.

Choosing Hope: A Step Toward Autonomy

Hope, therefore, isn’t just an abstract idea in TA; it’s a practice rooted in self-awareness and choice. It’s about recognising that even if your past has shaped you, it doesn’t have to define your future. If you’re finding it hard to hold onto hope today, remember that it’s OK to take small steps. Hope doesn’t have to look grand or transformative—it can be as simple as reaching out to a friend, taking a walk, or pausing to reflect on what’s within your control.

When considering what title I would give to my own blog post I considered various options. Did ‘Nurturing Hope: A Journey Through Reflection and Transactional Analysis’ fit for me? Or was ‘Finding Hope: Rewriting Your Story with Transactional Analysis’ better? I finally settled on something more concise and direct. Sometimes hope really is a process of believing in oneself, ones abilities and ultimately, holding on to the small and basic steps that are more than possible.

Small Steps to Embrace Hope in Everyday Life

Finding hope is not about diminishing the struggles you face. It’s about giving yourself permission to believe that things can and will shift, one moment at a time. And that’s more than OK—it’s brave.

If you would like to find out more about how TA can support you to find hope and make changes, get in touch to arrange an assessment session today.