And about pessimists it is said that they may not live longer than optimists - it just seems that way. Now there is research from the Mayo Clinic telling us that optimists live both better and longer than pessimists. When a group of people were followed over a 30-year period, it was found that attitude and outlook influenced health. Those people with more positive attitudes were happier, healthier and lived longer. Those with negative, pessimistic attitudes were not only more unhappy, but they had a 19 percent greater risk of premature death.
Attitudes are important.
Each thought arising in our brain carries chemical messengers throughout our body. Positive thoughts are associated with messengers that build the immune system. Negative thoughts have chemical components that can wear it down. Over time, pessimistic thinking may compromise our immune systems, and the doorway to physical illness may be opened. The good news is that we can change our attitudes.