How can we build a sense of hope when the future feels uncertain? Poet Tomás Morín tries a writing practice to make him feel more hopeful and motivated to work toward his goals.
Summary: Can writing about your hopes make you feel more optimistic? In this episode, poet Tomás Morin tries a hope-focused writing practice developed by psychologist Charlotte Van-Oyen Witvliet. Backed by research, the practice helps people feel more hopeful, motivated, and grounded in gratitude, even in the face of uncertainty.
How To Do This Practice:
- Write about something you deeply hope will happen, but can’t fully control.
- Reflect on how important this hope is to you and how motivated you are to pursue it.
- Recall a past hope that once felt uncertain but eventually came true.
- Write about what you’re grateful for from that experience, including who helped and what you learned.
- Connect what you learned then to what you’re hoping for now.
- End by naming one small action you can take today toward your current hope.
Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.
Today’s Guests:
TOMÁS MORIN is a poet who won an American Poetry Review Honickman First Book Prize for his collection of poems A Larger Country. He’s currently a professor at Rice University.
Check out Tomás’ work: https://www.tomasqmorin.com/
|Read some of Tomás’ poems: https://tinyurl.com/3v8u6m5h
Read Tomás’ latest book: https://tinyurl.com/aej9cw3a
CHARLOTTE VAN OYEN-WITVLIET is a clinical psychologist who teaches at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
Learn more about Charlotte’s work: https://tinyurl.com/yc65w4nu
Related The Science of Happiness episodes:
Climate, Hope, & Science Series: https://tinyurl.com/pb27rep
Why Going Offline Might Save Us: https://tinyurl.com/e7rhsakj
How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc
How To Feel Better About Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/42fn62a2
Related Happiness Breaks:
A Self-Compassion Meditation For Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y
5 Minutes of Gratitude: https://tinyurl.com/r6pkw2xx
A Humming Technique to Calm Your Nerves: https://tinyurl.com/mr42rzad
Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap
Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/557waxw7
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