Because optimists work harder at stress management, they are less stressed. Optimism is generally a positive characteristic that confers a number of physical and mental health benefits.
But this does not mean that is doesn't have a few potential pitfalls. Some ways that optimism can be detrimental include:. Optimists can avoid some of these pitfalls by focusing on maintaining a healthy, realistic approach to positivity. Rather than focusing only on "staying positive" and ignoring other emotions, the goal should be to try to look on the bright side while still acknowledging the difficulties of the situation. Learn the best ways to manage stress and negativity in your life.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. What Is Optimism? How Do You Know? Explanatory Styles. How to Practice. Impact of Optimism. Potential Pitfalls. Optimism can improve your health too.
An optimist is someone who has a positive outlook on life. Pessimists have a negative outlook but can experience joy and can also be successful.
A positive mindset is associated with better health and a lower chance of disease. People who are optimistic also have better results following surgery, with fewer complications requiring hospital readmission. This may be related to the finding that optimists have better coping skills when dealing with stress and setbacks.
It could come down to the fact that people who are positive engage in healthy behaviours. Being optimistic is associated with biological risk factors such as lower blood sugar and cholesterol. In addition, that positive thinking may boost your immunity and reduce your chances of infection and cancer. So something besides behaviour is at work. Davidson conducted an experiment to see if it was possible to shift the activity of those who had a tendency towards right-brain activity.
Mindfulness was taught to workers in high-stress jobs who, on average, tipped toward the right in the ratio for the emotional set point. The findings were promising: After two months of training for three hours each week , their emotions ratio shifted to the left and they reported feeling less anxious, more energized and happier.
Yes, the workers proved that we are able to change how our brains respond to experiences. Is making the effort to train your brain to be more optimistic worth it? Science says yes. Research shows that the sunny worldview has some very real benefits for your health and productivity.
According to a study published in Clinical Psychology Review , optimism is closely linked to resilience. Science also shows that those with an optimistic outlook tend to be more proactive when it comes to their health, have better cardiovascular health and a stronger immune system , earn a higher income and have more successful relationships. A large study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health found that the most optimistic women were 30 percent less likely to die from any of the serious illnesses tracked during the 8-year time period, including cancer, heart disease and stroke.
In fact, there are many effective ways to adopt an optimistic mindset. Experts refer to the tactic as "positive reframing. Often, he will reply that he did end up spending time indoors relaxing, reading or cuddling up to somebody he loves.
After a while, this will become effortless, a more automatic and optimistic frame of mind. Making this conscious effort not only shifts your viewpoint in the short term, but it may actually train your brain to think more positively.
We all have those friends who are chronic complainers or gossipers. After spending a few hours with them we find ourselves jumping on the Debby Downer bandwagon. Having a happy spouse, friend or neighbor who lives within a mile of you increases the probability that you will be happy as well. If you start connecting to people who are optimistic and grounded in life, you will start to be affected by their positive energy," says Ward.
The more you spend time with negativity, the more negative you are bound to feel.
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