Best Possible Self Worksheet Overview
The best possible self exercise asks you to imagine your future after everything has gone as well as it could, and then write about it. Psychologist Laura King tested it in a 2001 study, and a 2019 review of 29 studies found it can give mood and optimism a small to moderate lift.
This worksheet explains how to do the exercise, helps you warm up by looking at each part of your life, gives you space to write for 15 to 20 minutes, and helps you choose one small step toward that future.
In this worksheet, we’ll:
- Explain how to do the best possible self exercise
- Help you warm up by picturing each part of your life
- Provide space to write about your best possible future self
- Walk you through choosing one small step you can take this week
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King, L. A. (2001). The health benefits of writing about life goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(7), 798-807.
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Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(2), 73-82.
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Carrillo, A., Rubio-Aparicio, M., Molinari, G., Enrique, A., Sanchez-Meca, J., & Banos, R. M. (2019). Effects of the Best Possible Self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 14(9), e0222386.
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