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Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)
A Wellness Take On Optimism
"Twixt the optimist and pessimist
The difference is droll
The optimist sees the doughnut
But the pessimist sees the hole."
McLandburgh Wilson, 1915
Studies have shown that optimism is not only good for positive health but also improves chances for coping with illness, recovering from medical procedures and living a longer life.
One need not be a health or wellness expert to suspect what social scientists have confirmed with controlled studies, namely, that optimism is healthier than pessimism, just as hope is better than despair, joy beats guilt, compassion trumps selfishness and reason is superior to wishful thinking. But, can these feeling states and attitudes be selected, controlled and internalized? That is, can someone reading this conclude, "You know what? I'm sold! Don, you won me over— I'm going with optimism from now on, as well as hope, joy, compassion and critical thinking?"
In my view, the answer to all of the above is "yes."Â Yes, all this can be done, probably, to varying degrees of success, maybe, by many, sometimes. It all depends. The connections between optimism and optimal well-being are probably more complex than we think. Surely, multiple mechanisms are at work mucking things up, but bold efforts are in order.
The expert consensus is that if someone views optimism as a healthier, pleasanter way of living, he/she can successfully choose to see things accordingly, for the most part. To borrow from a couple popular songs, it seems we can get accustomed to a tendency to "look for the silver lining" (Buddy DeSylva) and "look on the bright side of life" (Monty Python Flying Circus).
To investigate optimism, scientists must develop reliable ways to measure what optimism is. We all know how to explain it in general terms, but to evaluate optimism rigorously for research purposes, objective operational descriptions are needed. Early investigators outlined two kinds of optimism: dispositional and explanatory optimism. (Source: MSN "Health And Fitness: Optimism and Your Health," Harvard Health Publications.)
Dispositional optimism means having expectations of a hopeful, bright future in many different areas. Positive scenarios are not confined to one or two aspects of life, but are generalized expectations for multiple good outcomes. Investigators used a 12-item Life Orientation Assessment tool for quantifying varied levels of optimism. In contrast, explanatory optimism involves assessing the ways in which good or bad news is explained. Both kinds of optimism seem simple enough. A person with little of the trait (yes, a pessimist!) would view bad news as a personal disaster, while an optimist would see the bright side of the very same situation ("Hey, this too shall pass—no worries"). If a person is willing to work at becoming more optimistic, he or she can practice and get habituated to positive takes on whatever comes along.
So, if you wake up and have a bit of a stomachache, regardless of first impressions, don't assume it's demonic possession. Rather than interpreting the discomfort as a sure sign Lucifer has taken over your body and soul, favor some less dramatic explanation. Perhaps the discomfort is but a temporary annoyance most likely occasioned by that extra-large sausage pizza you consumed before getting into bed last night.
It's important to practice optimism. Regardless of what you are tempted to conclude, make up as many "bright side" explanations as you can. Do this on a range of topics. In time, optimistic assertions can become second nature, nearly automatic. Assume your favorite sports team is going to win, your husband is going to find you gorgeous, your wife will think it's great if you tell her college girls think you're sexy, fun and awesome.
All this is not to suggest that you should seek to become totally delusional. Keep things in check—you are only trying to boost your health a bit and feel better most of the time. Be positive in the way you see things, but avoid taking matters to reducio ad absurdum levels. Oftentimes, moderation's a good thing.
Much of the research on optimism has been done in a medical context. In Finland, for example, a four-year study involving 616 adult males showed that a sunny disposition facilitated recovery from heart surgery and also correlated with lower risks for hypertension. Optimists had lower levels of Cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, and less inflammation (a risk factor for heart attacks and stroke).
From a positive wellness perspective, however, the more interesting studies linked optimism and overall well-being. One such project involved 2,300 older adults; another tracked eight physical and mental health measures over a 30-year period. All supported the thesis that optimism conveys substantial health and life quality benefits.
Of course, optimism might be more complicated than I have suggested or study findings reveal. It's easy to be optimistic if life is good, if success comes easily, if one is free of wants and if existence is rich with advantages. What's more, the trait might be hereditary, thus not as amenable to change as we want to think it is. In any case, who wouldn't be optimistic with excellent health and an appreciation of his fortune relative to so many others less privileged? It's a lot easier to be optimistic in Darwin than Darfur. Or, closer to home, if you're a Democrat celebrating the election of Barack Obama rather than a Republican stuck now with a president who hates America and will soon tax most of your income, appoint Muslim terrorists to high office and revoke the 13th Amendment in order to bring back slavery—for white people. On the other hand, maybe Rush Limbaugh was just kidding.
Well, maybe even Republicans can learn to look on the bright side, find the silver lining or even (recalling Mr. McLandburgh Wilson), see the actual donut rather than the Alaska-size hole in their hearts as we move toward real change. Be well.
Domain: mentalSubdomain: emotional intelligence
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