The 3 Secrets To Living Longer And More Positively
And they happen to not be as fictional as the Philosopher’s Stone.
According to research conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine over the last 30 years, living optimistically can actually increase how long you’re living for. So it might not actually be like in Harry Potter, but supposedly, viewing the world as a better place contributes to “11 to 15 percent longer life span, on average, and to greater odds of achieving ‘exceptional longevity’”.
This sounds like great news if you view the world as the glass half full – you’ll probably be able to experience what life is like on Mars, Leonardo di Caprio will finally have won an Oscar in your lifetime, and robots will probably have taken over most jobs. If you’re a pessimist though, you might not be as excited as looking at the future, seeing as you might not be living that long anyway.
That’s why we’re here to help, with 3 ways to look on the bright side:
The question of whether your negative thoughts are actually helping you:
Keeping realistic expectations is key to being optimistic – whether this means that you aren’t regularly disappointed for being overexcited about something that may not happen, or simply not being overwhelmed when things do or don’t go to plan. Think of your expectations as being your protective barrier. Having said that, being negative won’t help. You need to find a balance in between, so you don’t unexpectedly fail at something you thought you aced, but you also don’t go into it thinking you’ve already failed, because what’s the point of that? A negative attitude will lead to a negative outcome, whether you realize it or not. Disappointment is natural and normal, and we need to get used to being able to handle it, rather than creating an even bigger protective barrier around ourselves and being even more negative.
Focus on the reality of your situation:
Negative thinking can come from common anxieties that you face in your day-to-day life. But, if the things you’re worrying about don’t appear to be realistic, then it’s time to relax. And although it’s much easier to say ‘switch off the stress button’ rather than to actually do it, relaxing and not thinking about your worries can be as easy as distracting yourself with some well-needed your time.
Show gratitude:
Gratitude practices are renowned as coping mechanisms, and you only need to start small and think of the little things that have been going well to distract you from anything that’s overwhelming you or causing you stress.
If this wasn’t enough to turn your frown upside down.
Connect with Facebook