New research on hope and mindfulness by Feldman, Shapiro, and Dreher (2026) sheds fresh light on complementary connections between two behaviors that are consistently linked to psychological well-being.
These findings suggest that mindfulness and hope are both associated with aspects of psychological well-being. While their contributions are distinct, they also complement each other (Feldman, Shapiro, and Dreher, 2026). Based on these findings, the researchers introduce the concept of mindful hope: “We conceptualize mindful hope as a balanced psychological state in which present-focused awareness supports constructive, future-oriented thinking.”
Grounding hope in mindfulness invites awareness of the present moment and can offer a stabilizing and empowering foundation as we explore hope via pathways and planning, development of agency, and striving toward future actions and new possibilities (Feldman & Kravitz, 2014; Snyder, 2002).
Mindfulness helps us learn how to pay attention. As we pay attention with self-compassion, one moment at a time, we increase our capacity to navigate the turbulence in our lives in more grounded ways and with greater awareness, resilience, and well-being (Berns-Zare, 2025; Neff, 2011; Shapiro et al., 2020).
A framework for actionable hope, according to Snyder (2000; 2002), is composed of three steps: (1) a desired goal, (2) pathways or strategies to get to the goal, and (3) agency or motivation to pursue the goal.
Frequently, we get distracted by myriad concerns. Building a practice of mindfulness can enable us to strengthen our present moment awareness with compassionate kindness. This process of paying attention can happen even for brief moments during the day as we engage in our daily activities (Berns-Zare, 2025). Examples include pausing for a mindful moment as you wake up in the morning, take a first bite of a meal, or look out your window.
Mindful hope can help us acknowledge a difficult circumstance we are dealing with, then choose an objective that matters to us to start moving forward toward our goal (Diane Dreher, personal communication, May 24, 2026). Importantly, mindfully acknowledging our feelings can release us from feeling helpless and trapped by challenges that feel beyond our control. We can then reach toward a more balanced state that allows us to move toward new goals and possibilities.
Getting in touch with where we are now can empower us to be more able to think about where we’d like to be and set reasonable goals to get there. Mindful hope grounded by mindful presence on a consistent basis can energize us toward greater well-being and positive presence.
How can you add mindful hope to your toolbox for flourishing?
© 2026 Ilene Berns-Zare, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. No content is a substitute for consulting with a qualified mental health or healthcare professional.
