DR. DEEPIKA CHOPRA: THE POWER OF REAL OPTIMISM at Books Inc. in the Marina

Join us to celebrate Dr. Chopra's fresh and science-backed debut The Power of Real Optimism!

She will be in conversation with Schuyler Hudak Prionas, Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Examiner and the Nob Hill Gazette.

A book-signing by Dr. Chopra will follow the conversation.

This is a ticketed event. Tickets include a copy of The Power of Real Optimism and admission.

About the book:

Optimism isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about staying open and flexible—especially when it’s not.
We’ve been sold the idea that optimism is a mood, a mindset, or worse—just an inherent trait. But what if real optimism is something else entirely?
In The Power of Real Optimism, Dr. Deepika Chopra—known as The Optimism Doctor®—offers a radically different definition: optimism as a science, a skill, and a psychological muscle we can strengthen. Drawing from over a decade immersed in the science of resilience, emotional well-being, and cognitive psychology—as well as her work with clients, innovative workshops, and hallmark practices (think: evidence-based visualization, narrative reframing, her signature “self-worth work,” and even color therapy)—Dr. Chopra offers a toolkit for navigating the chaos, uncertainty, and nuance of being human—without losing yourself to it.
Grounded, practical, and poetic in all the right ways, this book will challenge your relationship with hope, rewire how you recover from hard things, and invite you to stay soft without falling apart. With her blend of intimate storytelling, psychological insight, and tangible tools—including a 33-day Real Optimism Challenge—Dr. Chopra offers something far more enduring than a quick fix or fleeting affirmation. She invites us into a deeper, more resilient way of living—one where we can stay curious in the face of fear, open in the face of grief, and grounded even as the world wobbles beneath us.
Because real optimism doesn’t deny the dark—it teaches us how to see in it.

“Readers in search of science-backed wellness practices will find much of use here, as will those who enjoy their self-help books with extra depth.” —Booklist
“As a lifelong pessimist, this book annoyed me by actually working. My friend Deepika somehow snuck practical, science-backed optimism into my brain—and now I’m happier. Damn her. Read it." —Mindy Kaling
"In this fierce and refreshing reimagining of emotional wellness, Chopra offers something we all desperately need but rarely get: permission to be fully human. With the insight of a seasoned therapist and the innovation of a thought-leader unafraid to challenge outdated tropes, she invites us into the world of self-worth work: science-backed practices that reject toxic positivity in favor of authentic, resilient optimism." —Eve Rodsky

Dr. Deepika Chopra, widely known as The Optimism Doctor®, is not your average shrink. A behavioral scientist, health psychologist, national best selling author, podcast host, visual imagery expert and sought after speaker, she holds a doctorate in clinical health psychology and completed a double postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Her book The Power of Real Optimism (Simon and Schuster 2026) is a practical science based guide to staying resilient, curious, and open even when life is hard. Dr. Chopra is a recurring guest on NBC’s TODAY Show and her innovative and science based work on Optimism, Hope and Resiliency has been featured in outlets such as Forbes, NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Goop, Variety, Fast Company, Newsweek, New York Times, The Boston Globe and more. She has led workshops and consulted for companies including Google, Amazon, Live Nation, UPenn Health, BCG, and Amex, and spoken at events such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, SXSW, and The Atlantic’s In Pursuit of Happiness.
Dr. Chopra is the founder of Things Are Looking Up®️, a consultancy devoted to the intersection of science and soul, and the creator of the hit optimism card deck of the same name. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

Schuyler Hudak Prionas is the Editor-in-Chief of the historic San Francisco Examiner and Nob Hill Gazette, leading these two publications through a significant renewal and into the next century of journalistic leadership. When she's not working, you can find her enjoying the glory that is the outdoors in San Francisco or the incredible restaurants throughout the city.

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