Yes, it can, particularly in the phrase "positive thinking." There was a famous book, published in 1952, entitled "The Power of Positive Thinking," by Norman Vincent Peale, which advocated optimism. And, on the other side, in 2009, a writer named Barbara Ehrenreich published a book entitled "Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America."

‘positive’ has more than one meaning. Examples: One is ‘certain’ I’m positive that France won last time. (Certain) Another is ‘optimistic’ I have a positive feeling about Tuesday’s match. (Optimistic) She has a positive attitude all of the time. (Agreeable, productive, motivated)

These words are often used interchangeably but are actually quite different. Being positive about something means you are sure about it but optimism is more about having a positive outlook on future events without certainty. If you asked someone "are you sure?" and they answered "I'm optimistic" it would mean they they are not 100% sure but feel good about the outcome.