Optimism is good for your health and can beautify your daily life in many ways. But beware; it also carries its risks and dangers! Discover the benefits, but also the risks of optimism.
Optimism Benefits: Good for your health!
Optimized for health! This is a good first reason to be optimistic. By 2015, a study in the United States found that optimists are twice as likely to have good cardiovascular health: fewer stress hormones, exercise and are less likely to smoke. In addition, according to a 2011 study at the University of Kentucky that looked at the relationship between the immune response and the hopes for the success of a group of undergraduate law students, Optimistic helps to strengthen immune defenses.
Optimism risks
But be careful: being always happy with your fate can also involve risks. People in this situation are less likely to save and pay for their credit cards, perhaps because they are less afraid of their deteriorating financial situation than others. If life on the good side has many benefits, moderation has a much better taste even when it comes to optimism!
Surround yourself with people you love
To cultivate optimism, the sense of belonging counts more than the assets we have or career advancement, “continues Simon-Thomas of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley. “Friendships and human contacts are tremendous sources of daily happiness.”
Concentrate on the present moment and be grateful
According to the research, people who live in the present moment are happier than those who dream of experiments to come from a holiday in the sun, for example. Have you the vagabond imagination? Ms. Simon-Thomas suggests that you train yourself to mindfulness: for a moment, concentrate on what surrounds you and what you experience. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California at Berkeley, says that remembering positive experiences have boosted morale. Also, she suggests keeping a journal of gratitude.
A fragile balance between optimism and pessimism
According to Barbara Fredrickson of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, optimism and pessimism should be seen as parts of a sailboat. Negative emotions form the hull that stabilizes the boat; a positive spirit constitutes the mast to which the sail which causes it to advance is attached. The goal is not to remove the black ideas – the boat would capsize – but to keep them in balance with the positive emotions. In the same way, if you catch yourself dreaming of too ambitious projects, come back to earth and set yourself realistic goals.
Prepare for the future
A positive mind is an asset both at school and at work. Optimistic first-year college students feel less lonely, have more self-esteem, and are more apt to set goals than their pessimistic fellow students. To help a child become optimistic, encourage him or her to find mentors and peers so that he or she can feel confident and self-confident. Bring your good mood to work. In critical situations, it will maintain your energy, motivation, and sense of responsibility. To keep hope at work, compensate for moments of tension with moments of calm. You missed a deadline and it disappoints you? Chat online with a colleague, loved one, or a friend you enjoy before resuming the collar.
