Spontaneous Happiness Weekly Tip: Promoting Optimism

Trying to promote more optimism in your outlook? Being pessimistic can be more than just an emotional drain on yourself and those around you – pessimism has been linked to a higher risk of dying before age 65. The good news is that positive emotions and – and expressing them – has been linked to a variety of health benefits such as improved immune function; a lowered production of cortisol, the stress hormone; and a reduced risk of various chronic diseases.

If you find yourself overly stressed or anxious, which can be either a cause or an effect of a pessimistic outlook, take steps to promote optimism and care for yourself, by getting regular physical exercise, following a healthy diet such as Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet, and making adequate sleep a priority to promote optimism.

On the emotional side, by honestly expressing your feelings you can effectively deal with what’s bothering you. Also consider confiding in someone you trust – a good friend, coworker or relative. Most importantly, try to find the positive side of each situation – instead of viewing the cup as half empty, look at it as half full!