Live your best possible self

Imagine a time in the future – say, a year from now – where things have gone really well, as well as they possibly could.

You’ve worked hard, you’ve overcome challenges, and you’ve achieved what you set out to do.

That’s the essence of the Best Possible Self exercise – and science shows it can lift mood, boost optimism, and even calm your nervous system.

Even more, researchers at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona recently found that it’s not just a “feel-good” technique. It’s a powerful self-regulation tool – meaning it helps you manage your emotions, thoughts, and behaviour more effectively.

In their study, participants showed increased heart rate variability (HRV) – a key marker of emotional regulation and nervous system balance – after spending just a couple of minutes doing the exercise.

How It Works

When you focus on your best possible self, you shift attention away from what’s wrong or uncertain – the everyday worries that can trigger stress – and towards what could go right… and that feels good.

You’re not denying current challenges; on the contrary, you’re allowing yourself to contemplate things working out for you in the best possible way. You’re giving your mind a moment to rehearse success.

From this expanded, better-feeling state, you naturally feel calmer, more optimistic, and more capable.

In other words, by imagining your best possible self, you help bring that self into the present moment.

Try This

1. Imagine a time in the future – like a year from now – where everything has gone as well as possible. You worked hard and succeeded at accomplishing all your goals. Take 5 or 10 minutes to write it down in as much vivid detail as you want.
2. Now spend 5 minutes visualising it. Close your eyes and imagine yourself living that reality – what’s happening, how it feels, who else is in the picture.

Keep it going. Do the visualisation part regularly, not only to boost how you feel right now , but to help you actually create that future.

Want to explore more?

🎥 Watch my YouTube video where I explore the science of self-regulation and the Best Possible Self exercise in more depth.

References (if you’re curious)

• Best Possible Self exercise boosts mood: Psychiatry Research (2013)
• Increases optimism about the future: Journal of Positive Psychology (2010)
• Improves self-regulation and HRV: Pompeu Fabra University study (2024)

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