Girl, Take the Lead! · 2026-06-11 · 7 min
After my conversation with Sheryl Robinson in Episode 293, I found myself sitting with an unexpected feeling: Hope. Not because everything is suddenly okay. Not because the challenges facing our communities have disappeared. And not because the future comes with guarantees. Instead, I found myself wondering: What exactly is hope? Is it optimism? Is it trust? Or is it something else entirely? In This Sound Bite In this Sound Bite, I reflect on the work of Brené Brown and psychologist C.R. Snyder, whose research suggests that hope is not simply an emotion but a way of thinking - one that involves goals, pathways, and agency. I also explore the connection between hope and trust, why it's easy to focus on what's declining as we grow older, and the question that stayed with me after talking with Sheryl: What's still growing? What if hope isn't about ignoring reality? What if hope is seeing evidence that people are still learning how to care, contribute, and lead? And what if trust is what allows us to invest in that future?
300. The Evidence of Hope28 / 100
299. SOUND BITE: Trust, Faith, and the Courage to Let Go
298. The Generous Heart: Boundaries, Trust, and Letting Go of Resentment with Andrea Mein DeWitt
297. SOUND BITE: The Courage Not to Fit In
296. Hidden Mindsets: The Labels, Assumptions, and "Fit" with Teresa Gregory