LIFE EXPECTANCY
MayoClinic.com notes that positive thinking can net you a longer life span. This is likely because positive thinking has proven health benefits and can actually improve your immune system. Live a longer, healthier life by staying positive; try saying three positive things about yourself each day to set the mood for the rest of the day to stay positive. In a study of 660 people, those with more positive perceptions of their own aging lived an average of 7.5 years longer. This effect remained after other factors such as age, gender, income, loneliness and health status were controlled.
BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM
Optimism can help boost your immune system, especially when dealing with viral infections and some forms of cancer, found a 2007 study performed by the Department of Psychology at the University of Kentucky and published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Optimism increases the amount or cortisol in your brain, a hormone that can raise your immune system and fight off infection. In fact, laughter therapy is sometimes used for long-term cancer patients.
SUCCESS
A positive attitude can net you greater success in life, notes Brigham Young University. This could be because those who have more optimism are more likely to tackle big projects, knowing that they can accomplish them. Whether at home or in the office, a positive attitude can give you the boost that you need to take on more responsibility and show how successful you can be.
SELF ESTEEM
Attain better self-esteem by staying positive when it comes to your thoughts about yourself , says KidsHealth.org, a division of the Nemours Foundation. Staying positive can help you to locate your strengths and be realistic about your weaknesses. Even if you make mistakes, a positive attitude can help you to recover more easily and keep moving onward, knowing that you’re human and you make mistakes and occasionally fail.
