Are You Looking Through Rose Colored Glasses?

According to a USA Today/Gallup Poll, 63% of Americans are “optimistic” or “very optimistic” about the country’s future (reported in Real Simple magazine, September 2012). And more importantly...the article goes on to say that according to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, “optimism may reduce a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 50%, regardless of age, weight, or smoking status.”

I’m a very optimistic person. I look for the good in everyone. My husband says if I were a cave person, I would get eaten by the large sabre tooth tiger waiting outside my cave, cause I would think he was cute. You get the idea. So, do you think I’m going to have less chance of cardiovascular disease?

What are we doing at work to help with people’s optimism?

Is it a nature or nurture kind of thing? Can optimism be taught?

The study of Positive Psychology and an article in Scientific American about neuroscience say “yes”…optimism can be learned! I think we can all help create more optimism by talking about things that are going well and projecting positive outcomes when we don’t know for sure what the outcome will be. Why start the day assuming, “this will be another terrible day” when we can shape the day ourselves with our beliefs and mindsets.

I’m guessing that all of you who are self-proclaimed “pragmatists”, “realists” and “skeptics” are shaking your head, but doesn’t optimism sound like the healthy alternative.

How does optimism keep YOU engaged, every step of the way? Please share your comments today!

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