Why everyone’s talking about... Optimism

IT’S been in short supply lately, but there are tentative flickers of optimism with Boris Johnson outlining the country’s roadmap to normality tomorrow. But is it good to be upbeat?

The science says ‘yes’. An optimist (defined by Tatler magazine founder Clement Shorter as ‘someone who fills up his crossword puzzle in ink’) is at less risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and depression. One study of Catholic nuns found the most optimistic lived ten years longer than the most pessimistic. And glass-halffull types earn an average of almost £2,000 a year more than pessimists.

How come?

People expecting good outcomes put more effort into their goals – be it work or lifestyle choices. So it’s self-fulfilling. Optimism is at least partly genetic, and experts believe that humans have evolved an ‘optimism bias’ to generally expect the best. Cognitive neurologist Tali Sharot of University College London says: ‘To make progress, we need to be able to imagine a different reality and believe that reality is possible.’ Conversely, though, it also means we hugely underestimate our likelihood of getting divorced, losing our job or being diagnosed with cancer – thus leading to risky behaviour and bad planning.

Not everyone’s an optimist, of course…

No, although an Ipsos Mori poll found 73 per cent of Brits were optimistic that 2021 would be better than 2020. And while we are, in general, upbeat about personal circumstances, we tend to be downbeat about the state of the world, possibly because we feel we have less control over that.

Can you teach yourself to be more optimistic?

Yes. Self-confessed pessimist Dr Michael Mosley did so for a BBC documentary. Daily tasks included repeatedly finding the one happy face on a screen filled with sad ones, which trained his brain to look for the positives. After a few weeks, he was noticeably more upbeat in his thinking, according to the data – and his wife. Howe v e r, some experts warn of ‘ toxic positivity’, when telling people to cheer up during tough times only makes it worse.

But in short?

As Monty Python urged us: Always look on the bright side of life!