While a cathartic cry or a vent onto a sympathetic shoulder may be good for our souls once in a while, (a great while!) more studies are suggesting that a positive outlook and a "get happy" approach may be better for our physical health in the long run.
One study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Helsinki, Finland found that people who had a consistently positive outlook had, on average, lower blood pressure than people who were more pessimistic. Another study from the University of Tennessee showed that people who forgave grudges easily also had lower blood pressure, plus fewer physician visits than their less-forgiving counterparts.
Yeah, yeah, so we know that being chipper is better for us than being melancholy, but while it's very easy to say, it might not be so easy for us to do. How do you go about turning an Eeyore into a Pooh Bear? Here are a few tips:
- Play "The Glad Game"
In the old Disney movie "Pollyanna", the young heroine makes a game about finding the positive in any situation. When challenged to find something "glad" about tedious and boring Sunday afternoons, she came up with "Well, it'll be a whole week before we have to go through Sunday afternoon again!"
We can find the "glad" in our own lives and make lemonade out of our lemons. Got a sink full of dirty dishes? Hey, that just means that you have enough food to eat. Piles of soccer socks, pink leotards and onesies in the laundry? Aren't you lucky to have beautiful children! Got a ton of holiday cards to go out at the last minute? Wow! How wonderful to have family and friends that love you! You get the picture? ;-)
- Stay Active
The less time that you have to sit around moping and feeling sorry for yourself, the better. If you can get around, do! Take a class in a subject that interests you, volunteer at the local hospital, become active in your church, synagogue or mosque, but get out there!
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