The Optimistic Option: Living Longer And Better

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Is the glass half empty or half full? Do you see the doughnut or the hole? What is your usual point of view in life? Is it the bright side or the dark side? Which is the best way to be?

It is said about optimists that they don’t live longer than pessimists, but they do have more fun. And, about pessimists it is claimed that while they may not live longer than optimists, their negative thinking makes it seem that way.

Well now there is research from the Mayo Clinic telling us that optimists live both better and longer than pessimists. When a group of people were followed over a thirty-year period it was found that attitude and outlook influenced health. Those people with more positive attitudes were happier, healthier, and living longer. Those with negative pessimistic attitudes were not only more unhappy but had a 19% greater risk of premature death. Attitudes are important.

Each thought arising in our brain carries chemical messengers throughout our body. Positive thoughts are associated with messengers that build the immune system, and negative thoughts have chemical components that can wear it down. Over time pessimistic thinking may compromise our immune systems, and the doorway to physical illness may be opened. The good news is that we can change our attitudes. We can learn to be more optimistic.

We all live in a difficult world, but it is not the difficulties and misfortunes alone that harm us. It is our perception of them. It is what we tell ourselves about them. It is what the inner Voice of Conscience says that is crucial. The Optimistic Voice of Conscience tells us the best while the Pessimistic Voice points out the worst. We all have such an inner Voice, and it is more or less optimistic. If this Voice is already positive, we can strengthen it. If the Voice is negative, we can change it. We can become “intentional” optimists, however hard work is required. Being negative is easier, but it is not as healthy.

The key skill in optimism is talking sense to yourself. Learn to catch the Pessimistic Voice in action and challenge it. Don’t let it drone on and on about how it is all your fault, how you have ruined everything, and how nothing will never get better. Start paying attention to what you say to yourself. You may have automatic hopeless responses of which you are unaware. Listen for the voice of doom and despair and challenge it. When you hear it saying, “You never succeed,” ask is this true? How do I know? What is the evidence? When you hear, “Nothing ever goes your way,” Call time-out. Is it true that nothing has ever gone your way? No! This is negative exaggeration. You can challenge this self-talk.

We think ourselves into pessimism, and we can think ourselves out of it, but we must we must think about how we think to do so. Teach yourself to think more optimistically and see if life goes better.