As wildfires sweep through Los Angeles, and right-wing internet personalities make terrifying waves, it may seem as if optimism is the most impossible emotion to find in these times.
However, optimism and hope are forces for good, and it has been shown that they can benefit your physical and mental health as well.
talking to the future“Optimism shapes how individuals interpret situations, often reducing their perceived stress,” says attorney Scott L. Rogers.
“Furthermore, when faced with a stressful situation, optimism can help cope with it more effectively, leading to better outcomes that promote emotional well-being.”
He adds: “Research suggests that approaching life events with a more optimistic outlook can enhance physical health, in part due to the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that improve mood and provide protective effects on the body.
“In addition, the positive feelings associated with optimism may boost the immune system, making the body more resistant to infection, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and providing protection against anxiety and depression.”
So, how do we become more optimistic?
Dr. Ricardo Tomasi, Lecturer in Organizational Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of King’s College London Talk to Paper I About optimism he said: “I would define optimism in general as, in a situation where there is both a positive and a negative outcome possible, the expectation of a positive outcome. There are still grounds and rationality for that. You can be optimistic but pragmatic.”
So, optimism is less a blind faith and more a belief that good things can happen, will It is happening. If it’s as likely as a bad possibility, where’s the harm in looking on the bright side?
He recommends setting small, practical goals for yourself and recognizing them when you achieve them.
“Changing to the point where you’re thinking about life in a more positive way is a big change, but it happens behaviorally at a really small level, and all those little behaviors add up in the way we interact with the world,” he said.