Be optimistic today

There is some new research out from the Harvard Men's Health Watch suggesting that optimists live longer and are healthier in general than pessimists.

Here are some of the results as reported on the Harvard website:

• "Optimistic coronary bypass patients were only half as likely as pessimists to require re-hospitalization.
• Highly pessimistic men were three times more likely to develop hypertension.
• People with positive emotions had lower blood pressures.
• In one study, the most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease compared with the most optimistic."

The researchers don't know what is behind these findings - whether it is a genetic predisposition towards both health and optimism, or whether pessimists experience more stress and thus the negative effects of stress hormones affect them more as well. Or perhaps optimists simply lead healthier lives. Whatever the reason, doesn't it seem like it might be worth it to try looking on the bright side.

Sure, some people might argue that a tendency towards optimism or pessimism is something so deeply ingrained in people that there is nothing to be done about it. But I think that's bull. So the next time you find yourself being negative about something going on in your life, stop. Take a minute and figure out how to view it positively. Because what good is being negative going to do for you? According to this research, not much.