Optimism Makes You Live Longer

Optimists live longer and are healthier . Science is clear about the relationship between health and a positive outlook on life, and therefore optimism is a resource not to be squandered , but rather to be cultivated with extreme tenacity. Even in times like these, which lead us to look at the world through dark glasses.

Optimism extends life

The interesting thing, from a scientific perspective, is that the brain runs on the engine of optimism, not vice versa. When we learn something, neurons register information that encourages optimism , but not unexpectedly undesirable information. Imagine learning that a friend has won a big gambling win: excellent news, which your brain quickly processes and stores in your mind. That's without even considering the cases of people who, precisely because of a gambling win, have ruined their lives. If the brain operates this way, and it is humans, through their actions, and sometimes even through the restlessness of their intelligence, who shift the center of gravity of their thoughts toward the threshold of pessimism, the question becomes this: why such a wise choice? It's not a miracle, but the way the brain works, programmed for survival, and the very natural instinct for survival pushes it to choose the optimistic option. The one that, in fact, makes us live longer.

The power of optimism

A group of American researchers from Boston University's School of Medicine , after a several-year study, even managed to put some important numbers down on paper . A breath of optimism gives women a 15 percent longer lifespan than pessimists, and 11 percent longer lifespan for men. In general, optimists are more likely to live past the age of 85.

Benefits

The value of the research was confirmed by the number of people studied (almost 80), the rigor of the method, and the length of time during which the men and women were observed. Ultimately, the team leader, psychiatrist Lewina Lee , was also able to provide useful—very useful—answers to explain why those blessed with optimism live longer. In short, the various avenues examined lead to a single conclusion: the light life . The breath of optimism lightens life, making it always bearable, even when it seems truly exhausting, and thus opens the door to a form of natural human prevention. The optimist smiles . And he almost never gives up this prerogative. This allows them to better absorb any blow, regulate their emotions less impulsively (a useful element also for warding off the specter of depression or easy and sudden mood swings), sleep better , and face any stressful event with a good dose of serenity. And without getting discouraged.

The merits

The optimist can effortlessly adopt a healthier lifestyle. They don't have to sacrifice eating less, avoiding strong alcohol, sleeping better, exercising , going to the gym, or walking outdoors, perhaps in pleasant company. For the optimist, these are natural behaviors; there's nothing artificial or contrived about them. They're part of their approach to life, and therefore the optimist always has time and space for self-care, for themselves, and for their interests. Their metabolism functions better , as do their cardiovascular system, blood pressure, and lungs. The optimist looks far ahead . Their way of being in the world isn't focused on the present, and therefore they rarely suffer from the stresses of life that always seem to slip away from pessimists. Likewise, the optimist doesn't focus solely on achieving immediate goals, but is more oriented toward long-term objectives. Their life isn't subjected to daily scrutiny, with highly critical and sometimes depressing analyses , but rather proceeds along a long, linear horizon. This means, for example, that when an optimist is convinced of a goal, he or she will do everything possible to achieve it, always trying to believe in it, confirming the fact that optimism is somehow synonymous with the word will. And in any case, there is a close interdependence between the two words.

Optimism and health

Finally, optimism helps us have a sense of purpose . Even when life's curves are downward. Especially during old age, "purpose" is a magic word in the dictionary of the elderly: it helps keep them alive in good condition, without shutting down, but rather by reinforcing, their psychophysical functions. This is why optimism, at least indirectly, also helps ward off neurodegenerative diseases linked to old age. Once the importance of optimism, a true behavioral strategy, is clear, the looming pressure of another existential pole cannot be denied: pessimism. Who can consider themselves immune? Who is so arrogant as to consider themselves immune to phenomena of low mood that then, in large strides, lead to forms of depression? Moreover, if optimism is combined with willpower, pessimism is a synonym of intelligence. Looking at things too deeply, digging too deeply into them, will also help us understand them better, but it could certainly increase our pessimistic view of life. This pessimistic view has accompanied the thinking of generations of history's greatest philosophers. How can we overcome this? There is no prevention, much less a cure, except the idea, which we must always carry in our hearts, regarding the value of existence. Life , with all its paradoxes, with all its pains, with all its parabolic curves, is and remains a wonderful thing . Woe betide us if we waste it, without bathing it in the scented water of optimism, which is precisely the fragrance of life. Returning to the health and general life-prolonging benefits of choosing optimism, you can keep pessimism at bay by remembering the results of two fairly recent studies. Very interesting. The first, from Duke University , shows that optimists earn, work, and save more. So, they have fewer economic problems than pessimists, perhaps simply because they don't dwell on complaining about their troubles. Second discovery: optimism, which reduces stress and keeps intelligence sharp, even helps people resist cancer longer . Two groups of people were examined, under the age of 60, both suffering from the same type of cancer, and were divided into two categories: optimists and pessimists. Well, the former were dead after eight months, the latter resisted much longer or even managed to recover.

OPTIMISM FAMOUS QUOTES

«The optimist sees opportunity in every danger, the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity.'. (Winston Churchill)

The perspective of a pessimist and an optimist is reversed. From here, simply shift your perspective and always see positive things and opportunities to be more optimistic.

«No one is born under a bad star, if anything there are men who look at the sky badly'. (Dalai Lama)

Luck has its place in life, who can deny it? But sooner or later, we all take a spin on the wheel of fortune. It's pointless to complain when it turns its back on us. It will return.

«It is better to be optimistic and wrong than pessimistic and right.'. (Albert Einstein)

We could also say that it's better to start with low expectations, to later have good surprises.

«Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will'. (Antonio Gramsci)

This remains one of the most effective summaries of how to face life with determination, willpower and passion.

Optimism makes you live longer