| Keep in the sunlight. Do not anticipate trouble or worry | | | | cohorts. |
| about what may never happen. Benjamin Franklin | | | | Optimism seems to make a difference with cancer |
| With all the challenging situations facing us in our | | | | patients as well. In a study last year published in the |
| environment daily: high unemployment, scarce | | | | Journal of Pain and symptom Management, Dr, |
| resources, increased pressure and stress in the | | | | Margaret E. Kurtz and her team of researchers at |
| workplace, ongoing wars, diminishing safety-nets in our | | | | Michigan State University in East Lansing, found that in |
| communities through charities and social services and | | | | a group of 214 patients undergoing chemotherapy for |
| an impending pandemic coupled with a shortage of | | | | their cancer, those who scored high in optimism on |
| vaccines, it is no wonder many of us are worried. At | | | | pre-tests reported experiencing less severe pain during |
| the same time, the evidence has continued to mount | | | | the sixteen week process. Interestingly, patients in this |
| that being optimistic is a good thing. In light of this, I | | | | same study who had high scores in "mastery" and |
| thought a little update on some of the more recent | | | | optimism, reported a double bonus, less fatigue (also |
| research related to health and optimism might be | | | | typically caused by chemotherapy treatment), and less |
| well-timed. The question is, "Can you think yourself to | | | | severe pain. |
| better health?" While the answer to that question is not | | | | Many more examples are available, as are questions |
| absolutely clear, the jury is not out on whether there is | | | | about cause and effect versus association, but there |
| a link between health and being optimistic. | | | | is no question that being optimistic can be a good thing |
| Here are some of the more impressive related studies | | | | for many reasons, including its possible protective |
| which have come out in recent years: | | | | effects on health and longevity. What can you do to |
| As part of the Women's Health Initiative, a fifteen year | | | | become more optimistic? Here are three quick tips |
| study launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), | | | | below: |
| a group of researchers analyzed eight years of data | | | | Coaching Tips: |
| on the 97,253 women age 50 and over involved in the | | | | 1. Surround yourself with positive people. Seek and |
| study. Their findings, released in March at the | | | | nurture a positive work environment. Make it a criterion |
| Conference of the American Psychosomatic Society | | | | when you are interviewing for a new position; look for |
| in Chicago by Hilary Tindale, MD from the University of | | | | it especially in those you will work most closely with. |
| Pittsburg Medical Center, showed that age-adjusted | | | | Share this article with your spouse, family or closest |
| rates of coronary heart disease increased significantly | | | | friends and encourage them to partner with you in |
| with decreasing levels of optimism, and decreased | | | | developing a more optimistic and positive environment. |
| significantly with decreasing levels of hostility. | | | | 2. Monitor you own internal dialog. If you tend to see |
| Compared with women in the study who were more | | | | the glass as half-empty, or find yourself complaining a |
| pessimistic, optimistic women were 30% less likely to | | | | lot and becoming an "Eeyore", consciously replace |
| die from heart disease and 33% less likely to die from | | | | negative self-talk with more positive alternatives. For |
| all causes. These effects were particularly pronounced | | | | example, instead of saying to yourself, "I'll never get |
| in African-American women. | | | | this",try "There will be other opportunities." Or, instead |
| Other studies focusing on specific medical conditions | | | | of, "I'll never be able to make it through this", you could |
| have also shown a clear positive link between | | | | try, "I've handled tough things before; I'll be okay with |
| optimism and outcomes. In one study, 309 middle-aged | | | | this too." |
| patients who were scheduled for coronary artery | | | | 3. Keep an "Optimism Log." Once a day,(at night |
| bypass surgery were evaluated by physicians prior to | | | | before you go to bed is ideal), write down at least |
| the operation with not only the usual complete physical | | | | three good things about your day. They can be |
| exam, but also by administering a psychological exam | | | | relatively big things, such as: "My presentation went |
| designed to measure optimism, depression, | | | | great, and everybody congratulated me!", or small, "It |
| self-esteem and neuroticism. The researchers then | | | | finally stopped raining", but start writing it down. This will |
| continued to monitor the patients for the six months | | | | help you to notice and remember all the good things in |
| following their surgery. They found that those who | | | | your world, brighten your spirits and remind you to be |
| scored high on the optimism scale were 50% less likely | | | | happy and positive. |
| to be re-hospitalized during that time period. Optimism | | | | These are only three of the many tips and strategies |
| was also found to be similarly protective in a study of | | | | which help to build optimism. Begin now with these. |
| 298 angioplasty patents. Pessimists in this group were | | | | Remember, the key to changing the way you think is |
| three times more likely to require re-hospitalization, a | | | | repetition and practice. Be conscious of your goal, |
| repeat angioplasty procedure or bypass surgery during | | | | keep at it and have a beautiful day! |
| the following six months than their more optimistic | | | | |