5 days ago
How to stop being a pessimist — by the happiness expert who knows
D o you wish you were a sunnier sort, but find yourself regularly fearing disaster in graphic, convincing detail? A new study from scientists at Kobe University in Japan has found that most optimists think alike, whereas pessimists are far more unique in their gloomy predictions. In scans, when optimists were asked to imagine future scenarios, the same areas of their brains lit up. Pessimists displayed a far more diverse range of brain activity, suggesting that they could more vividly imagine a wider sweep of worst-case scenarios.
There's a strong case for wanting to work on one's optimism. 'People who are more optimistic tend to have better physical and mental health,' says Kate Oliver, a chartered psychologist and the co-author of Rise and Shine: How to Transform Your Life, Morning by Morning. Even though there's a degree of mutual causation (good health will likely make you more optimistic, for example), she says: 'Optimists tend to live longer than pessimists, have lower rates of depression and better cardiovascular health because their stress levels are lower.'
