2 SEE THE BRIGHT SIDE
It may sound flippant but seeing the bright side of life is genuinely good for your health.
“Optimism is a tool with a certain clear set of benefits: it fights depression, promotes achievement and produces better health,” says Dr Martin Seligman, psychologist, global optimism guru and author of
Learned Optimism (Penguin Books, $19.99). “When we take time to notice the things that go right, it means we’re getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.”
This is a win-win for your health. According to research by the University of Illinois (using data of 6000 people over 11 years), compared to “glass
half empty” thinkers, optimists benefit as they:
•
Are twice as likely to be in good cardiovascular health
•
Enjoy better blood glucose control • Have healthier cholesterol levels • Are more physically active •
Have a healthier Body Mass
Index – an indicator of healthy weight.
Good reasons to seek out the positives every day – even the ones that may seem the darkest.
An optimist is someone who goes after Moby Dick in a rowboat and takes the tartare sauce
– Zig Ziglar