Optimum Wellness Presented by King Soopers
Author- Dr. James Rouse
There are certain individuals who, at the mere mention of the idea of optimism, get super uncomfortable. They think optimism is for the namby-pamby types (the wimps). But here’s the truth - when you show up for your life with an optimistic mindset, you wire your brain for a life of abundance, peace and fulfillment. Seeing things on the bright side, with an open heart, is excellent for your physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being.
Optimism is not a trait that you are simply lucky to be born with (though it is partially inheritable). It isn’t a consequence of having a lot of money or good looks. It’s made the old fashioned way—by living it and building it! Optimism is much more than skipping through life with rose-colored glasses. It is a learned skill and tool that we can use to navigate life, build resiliency, and bounce back when circumstances take us out of our comfort zone.
Optimists approach life with a sense of possibility and positivity. When you begin living and building optimism, interesting things occur. For example, a review of over 80 scientific studies measuring the impact of optimism on physical health concluded that when it comes to overall longevity, disease survival rates, heart health, immunity, cancer outcomes, pregnancy outcomes, and pain tolerance, optimists had better outcomes across the board compared to pessimists. Optimists don’t just live longer, they have better marriages and make more money than pessimists.
An optimistic mind-set helps fight chronic inflammation, which has been linked to many diseases. When we’re pessimistic, when we’re not carrying a can-do attitude, we tend to create physiological stress on our system and that carries a greater risk for depression and other chronic diseases.
Optimism can be learned and built with positive self-care rituals including regular exercise, a clean diet (low in sugar and processed foods), and mind-body practices like yoga, meditation, and journaling. Optimism is a key element of happiness. Happy people are more optimistic than pessimists, plus they are way more fun to be around.
Are you ready to go out and spread some optimism? Not only will you improve your own life, but you’ll help others begin to do the same.
