While looking at the sunny side of life offers a lot of light moments, there may be a better path to well-being.
According to an article posted in Harvard Health, Optimism feels good. The expectation that positive things will happen is associated with happiness and better health, including fewer heart attacks and a lower risk for premature death. Pessimism, on the other hand, feels bad; it makes you depressed or anxious and keeps the fight-or-flight system activated, triggering chronic inflammation (which is linked to many diseases).
You might think the best way to improve your well-being is to cultivate an optimistic outlook. Think again. “Better than cultivating an artificial optimism is to see the situation and the world realistically,” says Ronald Siegel, an assistant professor of psychology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School and medical editor of the Harvard Special Health Report Positive Psychology.
Read the entire article here: Harvard Health article
Ms. Jenn Landers | Patient Advocate Alliance LLC Edited by Dr. Justin Groode
