Aside from the generally good feelings that result from being optimistic and positive, it turns out that there may be an even better reason to build this lifestyle. A recent study by a team at the Boston University School of Medicine was appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Lewina Lee and colleagues report how they analysed data from two previous long-term research projects, one involving female nurses and the other focused on a cohort of men.
The results show the most optimistic group of women had a lifespan almost 15% longer than the least. Similar results were seen in men, even though optimism was measured slightly differently. When the team compared the fifth of men boasting the highest optimism scores with the least optimistic, they found the most positive men had lifespans almost 11% longer.
So it appears that optimism and positivity don’t just make you a shining light in a dark and pessimistic world, but you may live longer as well.
Here are the links to two additional articles on this study. I hope you’ll take time to read them and review the paper. Just maybe it could lead to a happier and longer life!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/26/optimism-may-hold-secret-to-longer-life-study-suggests