In 2020, when author Preeti Shenoy kick-started her blog post series titled, 21 Days of Positivity, she didn’t know that the three-week project would take a life of its own. Or, that it would become a book. “My aim was never to say, ‘don’t feel sad’. You can feel sad, and let that sadness out, but even that should be viewed through the lens of optimism,” says the Bengaluru-based bestselling author. Shenoy’s posts were about what she did in everyday life, and the books to read or podcasts to listen to—all with a common theme—to make life better. There were also posts that spoke about “honesty, lockdowns, and how to mind one’s words”. These conversations soon moved to her Instagram account. That’s when the idea for her book, The Magic Mindset: How to Find Your Happy Place, came into being. “I do believe that what everyone out there is seeking for, is some hope. I just want them to feel good.”

What happened with Shenoy is probably a testament of the times to come, when consumer behaviour—be it buying a product or consuming content—is going to depend on how optimistic the creator is or how the product makes them feel. According to a white paper released by WGSN, a New York-based trend forecasting company, radical optimism will be one of the main emotions shaping the consumer’s daily life in 2022—others being fear of an uncertain future, a desynchronised society that works at different times now, and resilience and openness to learn new coping mechanisms. The paper described “radical optimism” as “rebellious, and in times of uncertainty, a brave choice,” stating that new optimists are the ones who “are weighed down by rising levels of fear and anxiety, and have a vivacious appetite to embrace joy”.