SEVEN HABITS OF OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE
HAPPY
PEOPLE LIVE LONGER AND FEEL BETTER. BUT HOW DO THEY STAY SO UPBEAT?
Optimists aren’t just
people who see the glass half full. They also make more money than pessimists
and enjoy health benefits such as fewer colds, a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease, and a longer life.
That’s something to
smile about.
"Children are
born optimists and over the course of time, life happens," says Jason Wachob,
cofounder and CEO of the healthy living website MindBodyGreen.com. "Circumstances change and cynicism sets in, but deep down
most of us want to get back to the optimism of our childhood."
David Mezzapelle, author of Contagious Optimism, has studied optimistic people for five
years: "Some people are naturally more optimistic," he says. "I
believe, however, that somebody who is negative or pessimistic can control it
and improve upon it."
Optimism isn’t a
pie-in-the-sky ideal, says Mezzapelle. "It’s not closing your eyes and
being in the clouds," he says. "People often tell me they’re a
realist, but reality alone may prevent you from getting past first base.
Combine optimism with acceptance of the life you’ve been dealt, and the sky’s
the limit."
Like any healthy
habit, Wachob says optimism is something you need to practice every day. He and
Mezzapelle share seven traits optimists share and the habits you can implement
to become one, too:
Being appreciative of
big blessings isn’t enough; Mezzapelle says optimists are grateful for the
smallest things in life.
"The sun coming
up in morning, your child or dog excited to see you—being thankful about the
littlest thing makes the bigger things that much better," he says.
Optimists also find
good in hardships, obstacles, and failures, because these are the situations
that give you strength and resilience: "When optimists stumble across
problems, it doesn’t seem as bad because they’ve learned to always find the
silver linings," Mezzapelle says.
Whether it’s helping
at the local soup kitchen or being available to people you know, Wachob says
giving back is a habit optimistic people practice.
"This helps you
feel grateful for what you have," he says. "It’s a good place to
start if you want to become more optimistic."
Mezzapelle agrees:
"No matter what you’re going through, you need to be good to others and
help when you can," he says. "The spirit of altruism can make you
feel optimistic about your own life."
When people hear the
stories of how others persevere, it fosters optimism, says Mezzapelle.
"People often
think they’re alone in their struggles, such as divorce, cancer, or financial
problems," he says. "When they hear about people who’ve experienced
the same thing and came out on the sunny side, it can give them hope, and hope
is the foundation of optimism."
Wachob says simply
reading inspirational stories can help. "This is something everyone can do
on a daily basis," he says. "There are so many amazing stories about
amazing people who overcome incredible odds."
You are the sum of the
people you spend time with, says Wachob.
"If you are with
pessimists, every time you hang out with them it can be draining. If you’re
with optimists, however, it’s easy to absorb thatenergy and it can be powerful."
Mezzapelle likes a
phrase coined by Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton: "Optimism is a happiness
magnet." "It’s true," he says. "When you’re around people
who are positive and upbeat, it brings you up."
What other people do
or say is reflection of their own reality, not yours, says Mezzapelle.
Optimistic people don’t take the opinions of others too seriously when they
don’t agree.
This means not
listening to the naysayers who will tell you that you can’t achieve your goals:
"You can disagree with other opinions—that’s the beauty of life,"
Mezzapelle says. "Don’t look at it any other way and don’t let it affect
you. It’s their reality, not yours."
While this can be
easier said than done, Mezzapelle says optimists have an ability to forgive.
"The easiest way
to forgive is to reflect on the fact that the past is the past," he says.
"Make peace with it so that it doesn’t spoil the present."
Smiling creates a
happy environment that draws others in, says Mezzapelle, and happiness, even in
brief doses, releases serotonin, a hormone that contributes to the feeling of
well-being.
Smiling also has
health benefits; a study from the
University of Kansas found that
cracking a smile—even when you don’t feel like it—reduces the intensity of the
body’s stress response, regardless of whether a person actually feels happy.
BY STEPHANIE
VOZZA
http://www.fastcompany.com/3042025/how-to-be-a-success-at-everything/seven-habits-of-optimistic-people
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