Mark Twain once said, “It’s better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right.” While we often come across quotes like these, we usually brush them aside as humorous.
Let’s look at what science says regarding optimism and your health. In 2009, Rasmussen and her colleagues from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Kansas published a review that looked at 83 different studies.
These studies evaluated the effect of optimism on being sick, longevity, heart disease, immune function, and survival from cancer.
In the aggregate, these studies strongly suggest optimism is a significant predictor of physical health. The results from the overall analysis helped document the positive role optimism plays in physical well-being.
Patients with an optimistic outlook were generally healthier and had better outcomes when facing adversity. Just like we fuel our bodies with good food and exercise, our mind also needs the right fuel.
Start by feeding your mind with thoughts that are positive and optimistic. Thinking about the past leads to worry and thinking about the future causes anxiety.
Instead of dwelling on these, learn to be present in the moment. To develop a positive mindset, be aware of our temporariness on this planet, including the temporariness of everything that surrounds us.
While we want to be realistic and focused on achieving the things we want, it should not come at the cost of losing ourselves. In fact, the chance of us getting what we want in life significantly increases when we are positive.
Only then does the world enjoy interacting with us. While more studies are needed to further explore how optimism works, we know our minds are powerful tools.
When used to our advantage, the human mind can create wonders. Bet on optimism!