How to Be More Optimistic (According to Science)
What the latest studies say about the real-world impact of a positive outlook.
“The power of optimism” isn’t just something you’d see on a motivational poster in a therapist’s office — according to recent science, it’s a tangible phenomenon for improving quality of life. Studies increasingly link an optimistic outlook to lower chronic disease risk and a longer healthspan.
Okay, great. But how do you be more optimistic, beyond trying to look on the bright side? As it turns out, there are real tools available to amplify optimism and reap the benefits that follow.
The Best Possible Self exercise isn’t the only research-backed way to build optimism. Case Kenny’s 7-Day Mantra Challenge runs on the same idea — putting your future into words — with one short writing prompt in your inbox each morning for a week.
How To Be More Optimistic
We already know there are benefits to having a glass-half-full approach to life. Research shows that people who score higher on optimism assessments tend to have a lower risk of dying from diseases like cancer, a lower risk of dementia, and lower all-cause mortality.
But ‘be optimistic’ is often much easier said than done — ‘just be happy’ isn’t helpful, especially if you’re dealing with something heavier, like depression. The research points to something more concrete you can practice: a cognitive drill called the Best Possible Self (BPS) exercise, done five minutes a day for two weeks.
That’s what researchers Meevissen and colleagues tested in their study in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, which randomly assigned 54 participants to either the BPS drill or a control exercise.
How it works: BPS instructs you to write about a future version of yourself in which you’ve worked toward, and achieved, reasonable but meaningful goals. Then, visualize how that life would feel to live.
The results? A ‘significantly larger increase in optimism’ than a control group who simply imagined their daily routine. And the optimism boost held up even after accounting for changes in mood.
And it’s not just one study — a 2019 meta-analysis of 29 studies and 2,909 participants found BPS reliably improved optimism and well-being.
Going Deeper on Optimism
It’s tempting to look at the BPS exercise as a form of healthy gaslighting. Participants don’t predict their futures, they ideate the best possible version of their lives that could exist. But it’s more helpful to think of this technique as a cognitive primer — similar to how elite athletes enhance their performance by mentally rehearsing a movement right before taking action.
The Takeaway
Optimism isn’t just a perspective; it’s a skill. Scientific research is repeatedly pinpointing connections between increased optimism and better health outcomes. If you want to reap those benefits, you can practice being more optimistic by rehearsing the Best Possible Self (BPS) exercise. You can master your happiness the same way you refine your form in the gym.
Bottom Line
Mental techniques like the BPS exercise turn optimism from an out-of-reach perspective into a practicable skill. For anyone struggling with staying on the sunny side, five minutes of journaling and visualization per day can move the needle.
However, it’s not magic, and not a replacement for legitimate mental health interventions like therapy. The BPS research is also fairly early — the studies mostly rely on self-reported optimism over short time frames — so treat it as a promising tool, not a proven fix. Wanting to reap the health benefits of optimism is one thing; if you’re truly struggling, seek professional guidance before relying entirely on an at-home cognitive primer.
Want a guided version of this? Case Kenny’s 7-Day Mantra Challenge gives you a daily prompt to write your way toward a more optimistic outlook — five minutes a day, no guesswork.
Experts Who Contributed
- Jake Dickson BS-EXS, NASM-CPT, wrote this article.
- Lauren Keary, NASM-CNC, reviewed this article for accuracy.
