In my craft room at home, I have a bulletin board filled with sayings and pictures I’ve collected over the past 20-some years. Even though it’s cluttered now, my eyes often find their way to a small quote tucked in one corner — one that feels especially meaningful in times like these. It’s from Emily Dickinson:

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul – and sings the tune without the words – and never stops at all.”

That quote has become a quiet anchor for me, especially in our current landscape of uncertainty, overwhelm, and the relentless “what now?” and “what ifs?”

I revisit that quote when hope feels distant — like a fragile thread that’s easy to lose — or when my mind is flooded with fear. I know all too well how fear can spread. It’s powerful, and when left unchecked, it can feel almost contagious. Fear is, of course, a basic survival mechanism. It’s not realistic to aim for “no fear ever!” But when fear takes over, it narrows our focus, increases stress, and chips away at our ability to connect and move forward.

The key isn’t to eliminate fear, but to check it — to name it, to understand it, and then to take small steps forward anyway. And one of the most powerful tools that helps us do that is hope.

Hope is often misunderstood as wishful thinking or naive optimism. But real hope is neither. It doesn’t mean ignoring hard truths or pretending that every “what if” will turn out fine. Hope means believing that even when things are uncertain, hard, or scary — better days are still possible.

Hope lives in our willingness to show up with empathy and courage, especially when the answer to “what if” is “I don’t know.”

Just as fear is contagious, hope is also contagious — and the amazing thing is, it multiplies when we share it. We don’t have to feel hopeful before we can offer it. In fact, research in positive psychology shows that hope often begins to grow when we act as if it’s already present.

Small acts of kindness, listening without judgment, or extending support without needing to fix anything — these are all powerful ways to plant the seeds of hope. And for those who appreciate the science: neuroscience and positive psychology research show that compassion increases oxytocin, reduces stress, and boosts serotonin — all of which support our emotional well-being.

So, in this season of uncertainty, let’s remember that while fear may be contagious, so is hope. And unlike fear, hope doesn’t need to be loud or dramatic to be powerful. Sometimes it looks like a quiet quote on a crowded bulletin board, or a single act of kindness that reminds someone (including yourself): “You’re not alone. We’re in this together.”