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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
The Truth Beyond Words
2
Meet Our New Paralegal
2
Playground Injuries: Accident or Negligence?
3
How a Cat Saved Her Humans’ Lives
3
Finney Injury Law Scholarship
4
Train Your Brain to Be Optimistic
HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOURS Your Outlook on Life Matters
Most people realize optimism tends to make you feel good, but fewer understand that optimism is also good for you. A surprisingly large volume of research on optimism demonstrates that the disposition is associated with multiple health benefits. And even people who gravitate toward doom and gloom can harness optimism’s power for themselves. Optimism seems to benefit our cardiovascular health the most. Many studies demonstrate a link between optimism and a lower risk of heart
Why do some people gravitate toward optimism while others see situations in the worst light possible? Science shows it’s partially inherited and affected by our life circumstances. But if you consider yourself a natural-born pessimist, all hope is not lost. It won’t happen overnight, but anyone can learn to be an optimist. Our brains have a lot to think about, so they take shortcuts. Our past perspective will likely influence how we see the future — unless we interrupt the pattern. Many experts recommend taking note of your thoughts, particularly when you are upset or stressed, and challenging them. For example, thinking “people are mean” is an opportunity to remember the many ways others have been kind to you. Eventually, new patterns will emerge, and positive thinking will become much less work.
Optimistic people also tend to spend their energy on things they can change and accept the things they can’t. They still see the negative but don’t let it define them or their actions. Instead of dwelling on things they can’t control, optimistic people find ways to make the best of bad situations. Being an optimist isn’t about being constantly happy, and it’s not even about finding the good in every scenario. Optimism is an outlook on the world that allows us to keep perspective, realize most problems are temporary, and cope with negative emotions when things go wrong. With a positive view on life, happiness and health both tend to follow.
disease and hypertension. Other research has found that optimistic
patients recover more fully from surgery and are less likely to experience repeated health problems. Finally, some studies suggest optimism is associated with a longer lifespan, even after controlling for existing medical conditions.
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