The research was led by famous Dutch psychiatrist and expert at the Dutch Psychological Health Institution Dr. Erik Giltay. The study said an optimist would always remain full of life and look toward a better future even when he became old.
According to Dr. Giltay, optimism is tightly linked to the physical health of man, and it protects man against a number of blood diseases that might lead to his death.
The survey covered 545 men aged between 64 and 84 and continued for 15 years. It did not include any women, yet it pointed out that optimism was important for women too.
“Optimism means getting involved in the daily life activities and having a brighter look toward the future,” the study said.
The study, however, did not prove that optimism alone could save the heart, but made it clear that an optimist was usually a person who pays much attention to his health and easily adapts to the atmosphere surrounding him.
Though some people are born optimists, others have to learn to develop optimism so as to have a positive outlook toward life.
Dr. Dana Latiman, a psychiatrist, answers the question of how to learn optimism in her book “The Power of Optimism.” She says preparing yourself to be an optimist is similar to preparing the land for agriculture. You should remove wild grass, stones and all other impediments from your land before you start cultivating it.
A person has first to get rid of all the negative ideas inside his head that distract him from having a clearer picture of life as those may lead him to failure in life.
The gains we can make just by being optimistic are numerous. Optimism does not only protect our bodies from fatal diseases but can assure us a better life, especially at this fast and complicated age.
