Imagining your best future self lifts optimism

Across many studies, writing about a best possible future self improved well-being, optimism, and positive mood.

The study

This meta-analysis brought together 29 studies of the Best Possible Self exercise, in which people picture and write about themselves in a future where things have gone well after working toward it. Compared with control groups, the exercise improved well-being and optimism, and had a larger effect on positive mood. Effects on low mood and negative feelings were small. The authors note it may work better for older participants and with shorter practices.

Starting small

A short session can be enough. Writing a few lines about how a good year ahead might look, then returning to it now and then, keeps the exercise light and easy to repeat.