In one of the least surprising study results ever, we're able to see that it’s better to be optimistic. While I don’t think it’s surprising that optimists are living longer, healthier lives than pessimists, the size of the impact on our lives is more significant than I thought. How much longer do you think optimistic people live compared to their negative nelly counterparts? The answer is 15%.
When we’re talking about life expectancy at about 80 years, that’s 12 additional years of life. That’s a really big difference. The study itself was as comprehensive as they come. Two studies of over 30 years were combined to review the results of more than 71,000 people. The outcome is so dramatic that optimists are between 50% to 70% more likely to make it to age 85 than pessimists. Also noteworthy in the study, our habits.
Optimists are more likely to choose healthier lifestyles than pessimists. That includes decisions regarding diet, exercise and tendencies towards unhealthy habits, smoking is one example. Also, the biggest killer of them all, stress. That particular factor is handled better by optimists. So, smile! It’s good for you.