Optimism

Do You See the Donut or the Hole?

Optimism is the personality trait where people expect good things to happen (Burger, 2007). It helps to improve both physical and mental health in a few ways:

1. Optimism is linked to positive health

o Optimists had lower levels of Cortisol (Stress hormone), which contributes to heart attacks and stroke (Ardell, 2008).

o Optimists catch fewer contagious diseases because they have a stronger body immune system than pessimists (Ardell, 2008).

o Optimists are also less likely to have high blood pressure, diabetes or smoke cigarettes (Ellis, 2009).

o In a 30 years longitudinal study, 2,300 older adults’ physical and mental healths were measured and tracked. This study supported that optimistic people showed substantial health and life quality benefits (Ardell, 2008).

2. Optimism improves speed of recovering from medical procedures.

o A four-year study involving 616 adult males showed optimism facilitated recovery from heart surgery (Ardell, 2008).

o In another study, optimistic woman who had breast cancer surgery showed better adjustments compared to pessimistic woman (Burger, 2007).

3. Optimistic is linked to resilience.

o Optimists are more likely to take constructive action compared to pessimist when both of the group is in an out-of-control situation (Mills & Dombeck, 2005).

o They believe that bad situations will become better and are motivated to change the situation. For example, they are more likely to seek health advice early (Mills & Dombeck, 2005).

o They also tend to solve the problem before it is getting worse, so they usually end up having to solve fewer tough life problems compared to pessimists (Mills & Dombeck, 2005).

4. Optimists live a longer life.

o Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh reviewed questionnaires that surveyed the personality traits of more than 100,000 women aged 50 and over. They tracked the women’s rates of death and chronic health conditions for an average of eight years. Optimistic were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease compared to pessimists (Ellis, 2009).

5. Optimism improves people’s ability to develop friendship and supportive relationships

o Optimists think that people like them; thus, they are more likely to develop friendship with people. Having social supports helps reduce people's risk for illness, particularly the recurrence of chronic disorders (Mills & Dombeck, 2005).



References
Ardell, D.B. (2008). A Wellness Take on Optimism. Retrieved September 2, 2009
from EBSCO database.
Burger, J.M. (2007). Personality. USA: Wadsworth.
Ellis, M. (2009). Optimism may have life-extending benefits. Retrieved September 2, 2009
from the World Wide Web: http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/mental-health
/optimism-may-have-life-extending-benefits-2762.html
Mills, H & Dombeck, M. (2005). Resilience: Optimism. Retrieved September 2, 2009 from
the World Wide Web: http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&
id=5789&cn=298


Get Happy: Ways to be more OPTIMISTICS in Life!!!

A true optimist will deal with the rough spots and move on.

“Expect the best, prepare for the worst, and celebrate it all.”

---Willie Jolley
(Author of A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback)

Here are the ways to make your world brighter:
(a) Live by the one-day principle

~ Live everyday as if it were your last.
~ Let go of the past, stop worrying of the future & make this one day your best.
~ “The only day you have is the day you wake up”

–Tom Bay
(Author of Look Within or Do Without)

(b) Pay Attention to your personal needs

~Put yourself at the top
~ Take care of yourself first and you’ll have plenty of enthusiasm, energy & optimism to give others.


(c) Let go of things that drain your energy

~ “As we lose ourselves and get more busy, we often lose our optimism”

--Shirley Garrett,
(A professional speaker, writer and facilitator in Georgia)

(d) Feed your mind with positive thoughts

~ Quit watching news that always bring you down
~ Read a book that makes you feel good. See a movie.

(e) Chase rainbows

~ Listen to your dream and go after them.




(f) Keep a feel-good journal

~ Buy a blank journal and fill it with things that make you smile.
~ Stick only positive things in your journal and open it up whenever you’re feeling down.

(g) Laugh

~ There’s a reason we always feel great after a good laugh.
~ When you laugh, Endorphins rush through your body like a burst of happy energy.

(h) Enjoy the simple things


(i) Indulge your passions