Be more optimistic: the recommendation of a longevity expert t0 live longer and better

Seeing the glass half full, beyond the cliché, is a source of well-being and youth and there is a daily habit that helps you be happier. Here science explains it.

Being more optimistic is the recommendation to live a healthier life, according to a longevity expert. And you can really be more optimistic by working on certain habits every day. We can blame genetics and say that our way of being is a certain way. But the reality is that, although between 30 and 50% of personality traits are determined, the rest we can acquire and work on, as experts confirm.

When it comes to cultivating optimism, there are many things that can be done to try to see the glass half full, but one of the recommendations made by Dr. in his book Guess my age if you can is especially striking. It has to do with the information we receive daily and that can help us (or not) to cultivate that positivity for our well-being.

“Be selective about what you remember. We often say that we are careful with what we eat, but we also need to be careful with the words we encounter. Take a step back when you read negative information or when someone close to you makes certain comments. Remember that this may just be a perception of reality. Give yourself permission to turn off the television and say no to friends who are overwhelming you or examining whether you need optimism to carry out your life projects,” says the expert.

At another point in his book he talks about the importance of reviewing the information we seek and read because “ we are naturally attracted to bad news.”

What’s more, according to several studies, our brain retains 13 times more negative information than positive information. Taking into account that algorithms detect our preferences quickly, both experts advise doing the exercise of looking for good news that happens around us, such as those related to charitable acts, revolutionary initiatives, new discoveries… “All this helps us feel less overwhelmed by the negativity that surrounds us.

It is not a question of rejecting negative things, but of putting things in perspective and knowing how to manage our emotions. The flow of information that comes to us has an impact on our vision of reality, on our emotions, on health and well-being…”, they explain.

The importance of checking our feed on social networks (and the people we follow)

In line with all this, the writer, expert in well-being and good habits, dedicates a post on her Instagram account to the importance of using social networks for our own benefit so that they make us feel good. Precisely for this reason she proposes to practice #UnFollowFriday and review who we follow and how it makes us feel and stop following those people who annoy us, who use unrealistic filters that damage our self-esteem, those who cause us insecurities or stress us…

Optimism as a source of youth

“Optimism is one of the main pillars of epigenetics,” explains Dr, who confirms that optimism causes a physical reaction that causes an anti-inflammatory response that improves the immune system and is therefore key to aging. good. And although it may seem like a cliché – “I have decided to be happy because it is good for my health,” –, the reality is that there are studies that confirm that being an optimist can increase life expectancy by up to 19% compared to pessimists. , according to a study by Harvard University .

And the reasons also have to do with lifestyle because, according to another research from 1996, optimistic people exercise more and follow healthier diets. In addition, positive emotions stimulate the body’s ability to regenerate and relax. Being optimistic helps you live better. And while it’s not easy to change, “there are hundreds of different ways to be optimistic”. This is just one of them.