There are people who can lift the spirits of a packed sports stadium
with the radiant optimism of their personalities. What does it take to
live your life so full of joy that you jump out of bed each morning,
eager to pour the magic of your spirit into the day
?The surprising answer, from many optimists, is that this is not an
innate characteristic. It is a learned skill. They might tell you that
they were born into great difficulty, and faced daunting challenges, but
that they kept cultivating good habits, uplifting thoughts, and clear
goals, persevering through difficulties to create the life they desired.
Psychological research has now demonstrated that optimism is a skill
that can be learned, in the same way that working out in a gym enlarges
your muscles. Optimists do certain things differently. As well as being
happier, scientific research shows that they're much healthier
physically, and live an astounding seven to thirteen years longer than
pessimists.