21 Best Books on Positive Thinking for 2026

Finding healthy ways to focus on positive thinking can be difficult, but changing our negative self-talk and disposition can have important effects on mental health. If you’re looking for a way to squeeze in a bit more positivity in your life in healthy, achievable ways, here are some of the best books for positive thinking.

1. A Year of Positive Thinking: Daily Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage, by Cyndie Spiegel

How do you change your thoughts? One day at a time. This practical guide by Spiegal is a step-by-step guide to changing your thought processes using daily affirmations, exercises, and meditations. Simple and straightforward, you can start this book at any point in the year.

If you’re looking to make an immediate change in your thinking, but want to integrate it in reasonable ways, this book is for you.

2. Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation, by Gabriele Oettingen

The usual “just think positive” advice from well-meaning friends and family often falls short in the face of actual change. We’re told to just focus on our dreams, stay positive, and not let obstacles hold us back. But for many, it’s not that easy, and the advice, however well-intentioned, doesn’t give much else under scrutiny.

Oettingen draws on years of research and large studies to consider a new line of thought; mental contrasting, the idea of dreaming your goals and recognizing the obstacles in your way, allows you a chance to tackle those obstacles head-on, rather than be blindsided by them. The result is a healthier outlook on positivity and a better way to approach your goals.

3. Bright-Sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America, by Barbara Ehrenreich

Thinking positive, according to history, is a relatively new approach. Ehrenreich breaks down how we came to this bright-side thinking and why it might have done more harm than good for society. America’s fascination with positive thinking has done two things, Ehrenreich argues: It set us up for eternal optimism that doesn’t do us any favors while also forcing us to stamp out any negative thoughts.

The author argues that positive thinking may not really have positive effects, and challenges readers to consider a more balanced, existentially brave approach.

4. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and It’s All Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things from Taking Over Your Life, by Richard Carlson

Overthinking, nonstop negative thoughts, and anxiety over making decisions can make it difficult to think positively at all. Dr.Carlson wrote this book to give readers a series of little things they can do every day to get a bit more peace in their life.

This practical guide includes advice about picking battles, making peace with imperfection, and trusting your intuitions. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff is a good reminder about how little everything is, and how freeing that can be.

5. Declutter Your Mind: How to Stop Worrying, Relieve Anxiety, and Eliminate Negative Thinking, by S.J. Scott & Barrie Davenport

This guide uses mindfulness techniques to help clear out the mental clutter that is keeping you down. These exercises are built to help you identify where your anxiety is coming from and how to improve it going forward. You’ll also learn how to reframe negative thoughts, clear out anxiety-causing distractions, and more.

6. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero

Success coach Jen Sincero wants you to know that you are way cooler than you think. In a series of stories, inspirational quotes, and thought exercises, You Are a Badass is a guide just as much about thinking positively as it is about building confidence in yourself (and enjoying the occasional swear word).

7. Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin E. P. Seligman

Optimism isn’t always inherent; some people have to work on it. It’s a cultivated skill. Dr. Seligman’s national bestseller leans on twenty years of clinical research on the power of optimism and how it can physically affect your life.

With easy guides, how-to advice, and practical applications, Learned Optimism was written to help you retrain your brain.

8. Read This for Inspiration: Simple Sparks to Ignite Your Life, by Ashly Perez

These bite-sized bits of positivity are color-coded by what you may be looking for; inspiration, motivation, encouragement. While it may be helpful to continue unpacking why you’re constantly feeling negative or down, these quick reads are good when you need a quick pick-me-up.

9. Uplifting Stories: True Tales to Inspire You to Take Action, by Ione Butler

Sometimes, you just need to know how good of a place the world really is. Ione Butler is the founder of Uplifting Content, and she’s interviewed thousands of people with stories of hope, perseverance, and inspiration for this book.
When the news seems impossibly negative, or the world feels like a terrible place, Uplifting Storiesis here to remind you of the good that exists.

10. Deep Kindness: A Revolutionary Guide for the Way We Think, Talk, and Act in Kindness, by Houston Kraft

What if we were unfathomably kind to ourselves? What if we practiced kindness in every step of our day, even when it’s hard, or we don’t feel like we can?

Houston Kraft’s guide is for those looking to make the world a kinder, better place. It encourages readers to dive deep into why kindness may be difficult for them, or how to apply it in practical situations. In turn, it just might help you find more kindness and positivity in your own life

11. Humankind: A Hopeful History, by Rutger Bregman

History as a whole can be really depressing. And humans, society tends to agree, are pretty bad. But author Rutger Bregman doesn’t think that’s entirely true.

Looking over 200,000 years of history, Bregman argues that humans are hardwired for kindness, predisposed to help others, and more likely to trust others than not. Humankind is good read for those who want to believe the world is a better place than they were told.

12. Crying Laughing, by Lance Rubin

You have to laugh about it, or you’ll cry. That’s what Winnie Friedman finds in this tragicomic novel that isn’t afraid to be as funny as it is heartbreaking. Facing awkward dates, bombshell diagnoses, and bad stand-up routines, Winnie is just trying to find a reason to laugh again.

Teenagers struggling to find the humor in everyday life might find Winnie’s journey affirming, or at the very least, a little funny.

13. Children of the Self-Absorbed: A Grown-Up’s Guide to Getting Over Narcissistic Parents, by Nina W. Brown

Author Nina W. Brown lays out concise definitions of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder to help readers understand the extent of their parents’ issues. It delves into different types of destructive behaviors, and how to recognize the effect they had on you and your ability to form relationships as an adult.

Brown suggests the creation of realistic strategies and a step-by-step approach to resolving conflict and maintaining a relationship with narcissistic parents. It helps you moderate the damaging impact of your uniquely challenging upbringing.

14. I Have Lost My Way, by Gayle Forman

Three strangers find solace in each other in a novel that spans exactly one day in New York City. Freya is a struggling artist, Harun is about to run away from home, and Nathaniel just arrived in the city with nothing but the backpack on his shoulder.

As the day unfolds, these three protagonists find they have a lot to learn from each other about loss, love, and discovering how the vulnerability of helping others can help themselves.

15. Big Life Journal – Teen Edition: A Growth Mindset Journal for Tweens & Teens, by Big Life Journal Brand

This guided journal is built for teens and young adults. With guided prompts and a growth-mindset approach, teenagers can use this journal to outline goals, recognize their emotions, and frame self-talk in healthy, mindful ways.

16. The Fun Habit: How the Pursuit of Joy and Wonder Can Change Your Life, by Mike Rucker PhD

Does it seem like the more you seek happiness the harder it is to find? The Fun Habit reminds us that we have a tool to battle this monotony at our disposal—our sense of fun and play! Fun is an action you can take here and now that doesn’t require special tools or pricey equipment. Rucker bases this book on what science and research have been telling us for quite some time: the physical and psychological benefits of having fun are abundant and undeniable.

The Fun Habit provides practical ways to build having fun into an actionable and effortless habit, and explains the “why” behind how this will help you become a more balanced, joyful, and healthy person.

17. Atomic Steps: From a Negative Mindset to a Positive Mindset Through a Seven-Day Process for Lifelong Benefits, by Lawrence Conti (Part of The Journey to Self-Illumination Series)

So many positive thinking books expect you to make extreme changes overnight, and for many people grappling with a negative mindset and low capacity, those monumental changes just amplify their overwhelm and feelings of hopelessness. Atomic Steps was written with this exact conundrum in mind.

Conti believes that we can build a more positive and balanced life that lasts by making permanent and positive changes gradually over time. Atomic Steps comes with a loosely outlined seven-day practice to help you start taking consistent and small steps towards a more positive outlook.

18. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?, by Dr. Julie Smith

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before goes beyond positive thinking into what it looks like to take a balanced approach to fortifying your mental health so that you can endure the everyday ups and downs of life. The book is full of coping skills and insights to help you stay resilient and hopeful as you take on the complexities of life, alongside practical applications for everyday issues. It’s packaged in easy-to-read entries, making it simpler to find the information and guidance you need when you need it.

Smith reminds us that our mental well-being is just as important as our physical well-being. This empathetic guide will offer you deep insight into how your mind works and equip you with the tools to nurture your mental health every day.

19. 9 Wonder Words: A Language for Living Well—Even When All Hell Breaks Loose, by Lucy Turner

9 Wonder Words is woven from the understanding that the language and words we use are relevant to our well being, our outlook, and our ability to stay afloat while facing circumstances of hardship. Neuroscience research has shown that words can influence and even rewire our brains. Some words help you find joy, see beauty, have hope, and believe in yourself. Turner centers this book around “global words of wellness from ancient and modern languages all over the world.”

A nuanced mixture of personal anecdotes, short stories, and ground-breaking science, 9 Wonder Words will make you laugh and smile, while simultaneously providing language that can help you embrace yourself, feel confident, and love life in all its stages.

20. Chasing the Bright Side: Embrace Optimism, Activate Your Purpose, and Write Your Own Story, by Jess Ekstrom

Life is complicated, and none of us were born knowing how to take on the many challenges that life throws our way. None of us were handed a manual for how to be human when we came into this world. But there is something we were all born with that can be the initial spark we need to build our dreams into a reality: Optimism, what Ekstrom calls the first seed of success. Optimism fuels our belief that we can be part of the change we want to see in the world, but just like any tool we must learn to hone it, practice it, and find ways to live from it.

Chasing the Bright Side will inspire you to embrace the power of optimism in your own life, and empower you to reimagine your purpose so you can fulfill your dreams.

21. Unarmored: Finding Home in the Wild Edges of Being Human, by Allison Crow

What does it look like to undo societal programming and make a steadfast commitment to authenticity and vulnerability? What would your life look like if you learned to truly trust yourself, embrace yourself, and be yourself, fully and unapologetically? Unarmored seeks to help answer a question that many people struggle with—how can I learn to feel at home within myself, and at peace with who I am?

This path of radical self acceptance requires us to nurture authentic connection, find our calm, and maintain an abundance of self compassion. It requires courage and curiosity to find the clarity we crave. This journey will require emotional agility, nervous system regulation, and a willingness to be vulnerable—but Crow reminds us that living authentically is a goal worth fighting for.

When to See a Therapist to Help With Positive Thinking

You don’t have to be positive all the time; everyone has rough days now and again. But if you struggle with negative self-talk or finding anything positive in your daily life, it may be time to speak with a therapist. They can help you reframe the way you talk about yourself and the world. If you’re ready to make a change in your life, here’s a directory of therapists in your area.