Research suggests that your attitude can actually influence your health – and it’s not just your emotional well-being that is at stake. A study among 3000 British adults found attitude affects stress hormones and inflammatory markers. An earlier study found pessimistic men have twice the risk of developing heart disease; another study showed pessimists recovered more slowly after heart bypass surgery than their optimistic counterparts. In a long-term study among people with HIV, people who had a more positive attitude lived longer than those who did not.
Good News: Beyond our genes, our attitude is influenced by our patterns of thinking, social relationships and life fulfillment. That is why programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Reflective Happiness have been so successful for participants. Not only do people begin to view the world with a “cup half-full” attitude, but research using MRI brain scans find more activity in areas of the brain associated with an optimistic worldview, thus providing objective evidence to support the survey findings.
Take Action: Enroll in one of these programs or join one of my 3-Day Health Retreats. Learn to reframe your perspective, manage stress better, and focus on things that make you feel good and truly satisfied.