There are people who are pessimists and people who are optimists.
The pessimistic, gloomy people see the glass as half empty. The optimistic,healthier people see it as being half full. Just because an optimist is someone who has a positive outlook on life, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re always happy or a full-blown success. Pessimists have a negative outlook but can experience joy and can also be successful.
Indeed, a cheerful disposition can help you get through the tough patches that cloud every life. Optimism can also keep you from an early grave. A review of 15 studies with over 200,000 participants found optimists have a 35% lower chance of getting heart disease and have better results following surgery, with fewer complications requiring hospital readmission. The studies also found that optimists have better coping skills when dealing with stress and setbacks.
The fact is that they’ve also found that positive people are more likely to eat well, exercise and not smoke; they also have lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Positive thinking also boosts immunity and reduces chances of infection and cancer. Even after considering healthy behaviors, the optimistic people in the studies had a 15% longer lifespan and 50% greater chance of living past 85 than people with a negative outlook.
Optimistic people aren’t born that way; it’s a choice.
You can train yourself to become optimistic. Spend time each day imagining the best possible future for yourself. Spend a few minutes each morning or evening journaling the things you’re grateful for. If you have negative thoughts, journal them as well and include what caused you to feel negative.
Remember the quote, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
How we look at things is a choice.
Choose to be positive.