9 Pathways to Renew Hope in These Turbulent Times

Welcome to this month’s Flourish!

As we begin: You’re Not Too Old, and It’s Not Too Late, a Literary Titan Book Award winner, is available at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Bookshop.org, and selected local bookstores!

This book invites Baby Boomers and Gen Xers to reimagine aging with confidence, vitality, and purpose. Drawing on research-informed tools and practical reflections, it encourages readers to tap into inner strengths, embrace meaningful shifts, and discover everyday “ah-ha” moments that spark renewal.

Please click here to learn more and enjoy your copy.

And now, here’s this month’s Flourish blog:

This month’s Flourish blog is about hope. Many of us are experiencing   a sense of disconnection from what matters to us. 

In 2023, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., sounded alarm bells warning us about an escalating epidemic of loneliness and isolation affecting millions of Americans (Murthy, 2023). In his public health advisory, Murthy shared that high levels of isolation can have negative effects on our physical health, mental health, well-being, and public health in general.

According to hope researcher Diane Dreher, Ph.D., “we must connect.” Her research indicates that choosing hope is a key strategy to push back on the discomfort, disconnections, and chaos in today’s world (Dreher, Personal Communication, 2025). Dreher’s new book, Pathways to Inner Peace (2025), outlines nine pathways to greater peace, connection, and hope. The nine pathways are:

• Mindful presence. Bringing your attention to the present moment.
• Nature. Renewing your connection with nature.
• Community. Cultivating community and belonging.
• Meditation. Finding a source of peace within.
• Kindness. Practicing compassion for yourself and others.
• Purpose. Discovering a greater source of meaning.
• Intuition. Connecting with inspiration and inner guidance.
• The Arts. Opening your heart to the arts.
• Joy. Discovering how joy can light up your life.

Hope is a valuable strength, especially during difficult times. According to hope expert, C.R. Snyder, Ph.D., hope involves three steps: goals, pathways, and agency (Snyder, Rand & Sigmon, 2002; Snyder, 1994). First, we choose a goal we can believe in, then steps to the goal and alternatives if a pathway is blocked (Feldman & Dreher, 2011). And lastly, we develop agency, the motivation and belief that we can reach our goals.

Reaching toward actionable hope can help us cultivate a path toward goals, strategies, and mindsets to persevere or overcome. Dreher cites the inspirational teachings of Viktor Frankl, M.D. (1985) who was able to generate a sense of hope amidst the terrors and horrific confinement of Nazi concentration camps, where he and so many others were held captive. “[If] he could find hope by choosing something beyond what he was currently experiencing in a Nazi concentration camp, I feel like we can choose hope by visualizing something beyond what we’re currently experiencing now” (Dreher, Personal Communication, 2025).

Feldman and Dreher (2011) conducted research at Santa Clara University asking students to complete a hope scale developed by C.R. Snyder. After leading participants through an exercise where they were asked to choose a goal they wanted to achieve, write three steps they could take to reach it and alternatives for potential roadblocks, Feldman and Dreher led the students in a visualization of themselves reaching their goal.  After the intervention, participants showed significant increases in measures of hope and significant goal progress at one month follow up.  

According to Dreher, this study indicates that when we choose to set goals for ourselves, and begin moving toward them, these actions can carry us forward “in an amazing way.”  She emphasizes that hope is a choice. Each of us has choices about how we respond to the challenges in our lives. 

How can you generate greater hope and awaken renewal in your life?  

Consider these steps to create hope that is actionable (Adapted from Feldman & Dreher, 2011; Snyder, 1994):

1 – Goal:  What is your objective?  Name it and state a clear, realistic, measurable goal with a time frame by which you hope to complete it. 

2 – Pathways: Write three or more steps you plan to take to achieve your goal.  Also write down alternatives or contingencies if the steps you try aren’t working.

3 –Agency: Visualize yourself working toward the goal and reaching it. 

One way to do a visualization is to get comfortable in a quiet, safe space. Close your eyes or rest them comfortably. In your mind’s eye visualize yourself taking the action needed to accomplish your goal and then achieving it.  Invite yourself to remain present with that visual for a moment. 

4 – Get started: Proceed toward achieving your goal. 

How can you bring greater hope and awaken renewal in your life?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No content is a substitute for consulting with a qualified mental health or healthcare professional.

© 2026 Ilene Berns-Zare, LLC, All Rights Reserved

This article was originally published at  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/flourish-and-thrive/202508/finding-hope-in-tumultuous-times

Awards and Reviews for You’re Not Too Old. And It’s Not Too Late

Literary Titan – 5 Stars

“…A generous and thoughtful book, it offers companionship, perspective, and a believable faith that a person can still grow wiser, more open, more alive. I’d recommend it (to)most readers in midlife and beyond who want reflective, research-aware encouragement rather than hard-edged self-help, and also to anyone standing at a threshold, wondering whether change still belongs to them.  This book’s answer is yes.”

https://wp.me/p3cyvH-NSV

Readers Favorite – 5 Stars

“I recommend You’re Not Too Old, and It’s Not Too Late by Ilene Berns-Zare to anyone who desires a fulfilled and impactful life as they grow older.”

https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/youre-not-too-old-and-its-not-too-late

References for this month’s blog – 9 Pathways to Renew Hope in These Turbulent Times:

• • Dreher, D. (2025, August 8). Personal communication. Unless otherwise state, all quotes from Diane Dreher are from this source. For more about her work, see https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/diane-e-dreher-phd#
  • Dreher, D. (2025). Pathways to inner peace: Finding connection, inspiration, and renewal in challenging times. Hollister, CA:MSI Press. https://msipress.com/product/pathways-to-inner-peace/
    
  • Feldman, D.B. & Dreher, D. (2011). Can hope be changed in 90 minutes? Testing the efficacy of a single-session goal-pursuit intervention for college students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13, 45-59.
  • Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man’s search for meaning. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
  • Murthy, V. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf
  • Snyder, C.R. (1994). The psychology of hope. New York, NY: Free Press
  • Snyder, C.R., Rand, K.L. & Sigmon, D.R. (2002). Hope theory: A member of the positive psychology family. In C.R. Snyder & S. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Psychology (257-275). New York, NY: Oxford Press.

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