Biblical amounts of rain, war, the possibility of an AI apocalypse … you’d be forgiven for not being a paragon of positivity in 2026. If theories of supply and demand are to be believed, optimism — along with crude oil — could be the most valuable commodity on the planet right now.
For psychologist Dr Deepika Chopra, finding optimism is more important than ever — not least because it can have a real impact upon health and longevity. “A Gallup analysis from earlier this year found that optimism about the future has dropped to one of its lowest levels in more than two decades,” Chopra tells me. “We now live in a world where global crises reach us instantly through our phones. Psychologically, chronic pessimism tends to lead to withdrawal and disengagement. That’s exactly why the tools of optimism matter now. Optimism helps people remain engaged with the future rather than becoming paralysed by uncertainty.”
