http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimism
Health
A multitude of research has emerged showing the intense relationships between several psychological constructs and health. Optimism is certainly one of these concepts, with correlation coefficients between .20 and .30.
This research has shown that optimism can correlate with good health at many stages, including preventative health (making it less likely to experience illness), severity and duration of illness, and reduction of relapse chances.
However, Affleck, Tennen, and Apter (2001) studied optimism and health in terms of physical symptoms, coping strategies and negative affect for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and fibromyalgia.
They found that optimists were not more likely than pessimists to report pain alleviation due to their coping strategies, though they did find significance in the psychological well-being of the two groups.
A meta-analysis by Scheier, Carver and Bridges confirms the assumption that optimism is related to psychological well-being: “Put simply, optimists emerge from difficult circumstances with less distress than do pessimists.”
Furthermore, the correlation appears to be attributable to coping style: “That is, optimists seem intent on facing problems head-on, taking active and constructive steps to solve their problems; pessimists are more likely to abandon their effort to attain their goals.”
Researchers have stated that optimism may help prevent depression in teenagers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimism
OPTIMISM is something that is hard to have in this day and age and the way the economy is and the wars going on in different countries and no job and no money.to find hope and to be positive is hard when things are looking down, your health, your financial situation, unemployment, trying to make ends meet or living in a country that there is war and praying you will survive the wars, the civil wars ect ect ect.
the single mom or dad trying to raise kids on their own and trying to make sure they have a good education, clothes on their back, food and shelter.
forget reading the paper or watching the news like CBS,ABC,NBC,CNN and so on.
optimism: ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation.
if you are unemployed then you look for a job. want ads in paper, looking for jobs on the Internet ,going to different places and putting in applications.
raising children, doing the best you can and giving them rules to live by and place them in a school depending on their age that would be programs like head-start, elementary school, middle school, high school and or college or a trade school.
their is many places that can help you while you are trying to provide for your children while looking for work or some source of income. churches, salvation army and other local organizations that will help with food and paying electrical bills ect. ect.
A positive outlook does not always seem possible but its something you have to have to make it through life. why make yourself miserable and always look at things in a negative way.
its an attitude adjustment and you have to start with yourself. its taking something and looking for the positive in everything you do and all the challenges you have to face. also it helps hanging with positive people. if you are around negative people then you will start being and seeing things like they do.
get a new perspective on life and you will see the differences it will make.
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” jimmy dean
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Maria Robinson
Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see Life with a clearer view again.” Alex tan
“If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.” john Heywood
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
