Posts Tagged optimism

Optimistic vs Pessimistic – Which are You?

On December 8, 2016 / Blog, Stress Management

Optimistic vs pessimistic – Which are you? While it’s natural for everyone to flip flop and take on either of two roles during key points in life, chances are there is one side you lean to more than the other. Hopefully it’s that of an optimist!

Optimists are more than just positive people. They are also healthier! Research shows that being an optimist is associated with a healthier immune system and an ability to better cope with physical pain. Other studies have connected a positive attitude to a quicker recovery from heart surgery and a reduced likelihood of re-hospitalization, as well as to a superior ability to handle the emotional upheaval of life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

Optimistic vs Pessimistic –

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Can Positivity Lead to Long Term Success?

On August 1, 2013 / Effectiveness

Research has shown that optimism, whether “natural” or “learned,” results in better health. People who are optimistic have a better handle on dealing with their emotions, which has an impact on the immune system, heart, and other body functions.

Positivity brings hope, which is a cousin of optimism. A series of tests on hope was given at the University of Kansas, and results were compared to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, which are supposed to determine success as a college freshman. It was found that the test scores on hope were better predictors of success than the SAT scores.

Hope and optimism are learned. They are teachable. A starting point is always to ask yourself, “How can I say … >>>

The Optimism Bias

On June 5, 2011 / Effectiveness

The June 6, 2011 issue of Time Magazine headlined an article “The Optimism Bias” (pp 40-46).

The article began, “We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures” and then gave the following definition: “The belief that the future will be much better than the past and present is known as the optimism bias.”

A key ingredient of optimism is hope because it keeps our minds at ease, lowers stress, and improves physical health.

The article relates optimism and hope to how memory may work: The core function of the memory system could be to imagine the future—to enable us to prepare for what has yet to come. The system is not designed to perfectly replay past events. It is … >>>

Looking for the Gold

On November 23, 2010 / Effectiveness

The following is one of my favorite stories in my parenting book in the chapter describing the practice of positivity.

Andrew Carnegie, the first great industrialist in America, at one point had 43 millionaires working for him. A reporter asked him how he hired all of those millionaires. His answer was that none of them were millionaires when he hired them.

The reporter inquired, “Then what did you do to develop them so they became millionaires?”

Carnegie responded that you develop people the same way you mine gold.

He said, “You go into a gold mine and you expect to remove tons of dirt to find an ounce of gold. But you don’t go into the mine looking for the … >>>