TikTok’s “Best Case Scenario” Journal Prompt Will Help You Manifest

The next time you catch yourself sweating over an upcoming event — whether it’s a job interview, first date, or even a Monday morning — try grabbing your journal and writing down exactly how you hope it will go. This is called “best case scenario” journaling, and it’s viral on TikTok for a reason.

The idea comes from creator @balancedles, who hosts the She’s So Lucky podcast. In an episode posted last year, she talked about how “best case scenario” journaling has changed her life. Instead of writing what happened after the fact, she grabs her notebook and jots down exactly how she hopes the situation will go.

Instead of assuming the worst and worrying about what might go wrong, she says this mindset shift helps her picture the positives instead. Not only does it ease her anxiety and rewire her brain to hope for the best, but it also often manifests a better outcome. On the app, many people are giving it a try, including creator @avivamehta, who said she follows this prompt every morning.

“I’ll write down the best case scenario for the day in detail,” she said in a clip posted May 12. “If I have a one-on-one with my manager that day, I’ll write down exactly how I want it to go, how he would react, all of it. It teaches me how much control I have over my day, [and] it puts me in the right mindset. Ninety-nine percent of the time it works out exactly the way I wrote it down.”

In her comments, someone said, “Literally going to start doing this tonight.” Another wrote, “My manifestation queen!” Here, a therapist deep dives into why it works.

The Best-Case Scenario Journaling Prompt

According to Erica Schwartzberg, LMSW, a psychotherapist at A Good Place Therapy, this approach to journaling is perfect if you’re prone to overthinking and/or catastrophizing because it challenges that bias and gives your nervous system a soft place to land.

This prompt is a lot like the classic “magic wand” question many therapists pose to their patients. “If a miracle happened overnight and everything was suddenly exactly how you wanted, what would be different when you woke up?” she asks. “It invites you to temporarily suspend doubt and anxiety and explore what it would feel like to live the life you want.”

This isn’t about pretending nothing will go wrong. Instead, it’s about focusing on the positive and thinking about all the great “what ifs” as a way to reframe your brain. What if your meeting goes well? What if your first date is fun? What if you get to the airport on time and board with no issues? Not only will this prompt help ease anxiety, it’ll also help clarify your goals, which is key when it comes to manifesting.

That’s why many people pointed out in the TikTok comments that it’s similar to the law of assumption, which is all about assuming something is true, and acting as if it already is, as a way to create the conditions for it to become true, Schwartzberg says.

“Writing out your best-case scenario can help you embody confidence, optimism, and openness, which may shift how others respond to you,” she says. “Even if you’re not into the metaphysics of it, there’s psychological power in rehearsing success.”

Who Should Try It?

This journal prompt is perfect if you’re an overthinker who often spirals into worst-case scenarios, if you’re stressing about a high-stakes event on the horizon, if you want to think more positively in general, or if you’re in the mood for a mindset shift.

That said, you might not like it if you’re a perfectionist. According to Schwartzberg, it could create more stress if you envision a perfect scenario and then it doesn’t go perfectly to plan.

If that sounds like something you’d do, it’ll help to embrace the gaps between your expectations and what actually happens, and then remind yourself it isn’t a sign of failure.

How To Create Your “Best-Case Scenario”

On TikTok, @balancedles said you can try this journaling prompt when you have an event coming, like a performance or an interview, or at the start of each new month. To give it a try, write down exactly how you want it all to go, and really envision it working out in your favor. Other people on the app have said they answer this prompt every morning as a way to kick-start their day on a positive note.

All you have to do is grab a notebook and a pen or open your Notes app and write as if it’s already happened, like “I made it to my interview 30 minutes early. When I walked in, I could tell they were impressed right away. All my answers were brilliant, and I asked amazing follow-up questions. When I left, I felt confident that it went really well.”

According to Schwartzberg, it would also be helpful to journal after the fact as a way to reflect, celebrate what went well, and gather insight for next time. “The goal isn’t to grade your performance; it’s to notice what helped you feel more grounded and what surprised you in a good way,” she says. “Don’t worry about ‘getting it right.’ This isn’t about scripting life — it’s about shifting your inner dialogue toward hope, confidence, and curiosity.”

Source:

Erica Schwartzberg, LMSW, psychotherapist at A Good Place Therapy