Week 2: Telling A New Story
Did you miss Week 1? Catch up here!
This Week’s Big Idea
Hope grows by telling the truth.
The stories we tell ourselves shape what we believe is possible.
Included in today’s newsletter:
• Video: “The Stories We Tell Ourselves”
• Guided Audio Meditation
• Essay for reflection: “The Power of A New Story”
• Journal Prompts and Worksheet
• Theme Song
Guided Audio Meditation
“Letting Go of the Old Script”
The Power of A New Story
We’re all shaped by the stories we’ve lived—the ones we’ve been told, the ones we’ve inherited, and the ones we’ve quietly repeated to ourselves for years.
Some of those stories have kept us safe. Others have kept us small.
And without even realizing it, we start to mistake those stories for truth.
“I always mess things up.”
“Nothing ever lasts for me.”
“I’m not the kind of person who gets to be happy.”
“I’m too old.”
“It’s too late.”
These are not facts.
They’re stories.
And they can be rewritten.
Where Stories Begin
When we’re young, we absorb the emotional tone of the world around us. We pick up cues from family, faith, culture, trauma, and triumph. Slowly, these cues become narratives:
• “Love is something you earn.”
• “If I fail, I’m worthless.”
• “Being hopeful just sets you up for disappointment.”
Some of us grew up in environments that told us we had to shrink in order to belong. Or that we could only be safe if we stayed quiet. Or that survival was more important than joy.
But the truth is—you’re not locked into those stories. They were never the whole picture.
You get to look again.
You get to listen differently.
Hope Begins With Honesty
Rewriting our inner story doesn’t start with pretending everything’s fine. It starts with naming what hasn’t been working.
Hope isn’t blind optimism. It’s radical clarity.
It’s the moment you pause and say,
“Wait a second—who gave me this script?”
“Why do I keep repeating this line that hurts me?”
“What if I told a different story—one that feels more true now?”
You Are the Author Now
You may not have written the first chapter of your life.
But you’re the only one who can write the next one.
That’s what hope really is: the quiet power of agency—the belief that your future is still open, still alive, still worth moving toward. No matter your age.
It doesn’t mean the past disappears. It means the past no longer gets to define what’s possible for you next.
“I was wounded…but I am healing.”
“I was surviving…now I’m learning to thrive.”
“I lost some things…and I still believe in beauty.”
Start With One Sentence
You don’t need a 12-chapter redemption arc to get started.
You just need one better sentence. A softer one. A truer one.
This week, pay attention to what your inner voice is saying. Notice the phrases that play on repeat when you’re tired, afraid, or discouraged.
Then ask yourself:
• Is this story helping me or harming me?
• Did I choose it — or did I inherit it?
• What’s a more hopeful version of this truth?
Even something as simple as:
• “I’m allowed to grow.”
• “It’s okay to begin again.”
• “My story isn’t over yet.”
That’s hope. Right there. In your own voice.
You Are Worth the Rewrite
If your old stories were written in fear, you get to write this chapter in courage.
If they were rooted in shame, you get to root this one in love.
If they told you to give up, you get to say,
“Actually… I’m still here.”
You’re not late.
You’re not behind.
You’re right on time—for a new story.
Let’s write it together.
Journal Prompts:
Think about a difficult time you went through—what were you saying to yourself during that time?
Where did you learn the negative stories you’ve been telling yourself?
Next time I feel stuck, I want to remember…
Get the FREE three-page expanded journal worksheet for week 2 here!
The Hope Project: Theme Song
You can stream or download this (or the other versions!) anywhere you listen to music.
I look forward to seeing you again for week three. Oh, and I’d love for you to connect with me & others taking part in THE HOPE PROJECT in the app!
Is that you playing the piano in the background of the audio meditation? The accompanying music is as calming as your voice and words.
This is sooo good, Marcus. I remember years ago when my therapist ask me "What is the story you are telling yourself right now?" often in my sessions. Because so often the story I had made up in my head about the situation I was struggling with wasn't even a true story! Thanks for this Hope series. It's a breath of fresh air!