Discover Here How Your Attitude Affects Optimal Health And Learn How to Change Pessimism To Optimism To Improve Your Well-Being
Do you know that attitude affects optimal health? Medical science has documented that a positive outlook helps individuals feel better physically. Pegasus home healthcare services in Calabasas and elsewhere include helping you or your loved one stay upbeat.
The way that an individual responds to other people and events in their life is their attitude. It can also include your reactions to places, situations, or anything else in your life. Attitude governs the choices you or your loved one make.
Attitude can be expressed in three ways:
- Cognitive – a response based on knowledge
- Emotional – a response based on feelings
- Behavioral – a response based on action
The responses or reactions can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Is Your Glass Half Full Or Half Empty?
An individual with a positive attitude looks for the good. What happens in their life presents an opportunity to learn. They are optimistic and confident.
Someone with a negative attitude focuses on what’s wrong in their life. They complain rather than adapt to circumstances. They tend to be pessimistic and resentful.
A neutral attitude isn’t ideal. Neutral individuals usually don’t care and leave everything to someone else to handle. They are indifferent and detached.
Attitudes are based on an individual’s life experience. Although it isn’t always easy, attitudes can be changed.
Optimism Improves Your Well-Being
Research and numerous studies have shown how optimism and pessimism affect you or your loved one’s health. It starts with stress management. Stress weakens the immune system and leaves an individual vulnerable to illness.
How you or your loved one deal with stress depends on attitude. An individual with a positive attitude can keep stressful situations in perspective. Someone with a negative attitude can feel overwhelmed and unable to cope.
Having a positive attitude doesn’t mean ignoring bad news or problems. It means looking for a solution rather than giving up. Optimists are more resilient and have a greater ability to bounce back from adversity.
Negativity isn’t a death sentence, but it does affect you or your loved one’s perception of health. It can lead to an attitude of being in “poor health.” You can get caught in a self-fulfilling prophecy of failing health because you believe your health is poor.
You can slip into depression or hopelessness. Believing their health is poor keeps some individuals from trying anything that might help them. Others think following a healthy lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, is a waste of time.
A Positive Attitude Helps You Live Longer, Healthier, And Happier
Some of the benefits of a positive attitude include:
- Increased longevity
- Decreased depression, anxiety, and psychological distress
- Improved resistance to illness
- Ability to cope with hardships
As well as a direct effect on health, optimists typically have healthy lifestyles. That improves overall well-being.
If you need additional motivation to adopt a more positive attitude, consider that optimism:
- Reduces your risk of having cardiovascular problems
- Helps you recover faster if you do have a stroke or heart attack
- Aids in recovery from injuries
- Reduces the inflammation that is the root of many health problems
As an added benefit, you are also a happier person.
Part of becoming aware of attitude is listening to your self-talk. Self-talk is all the things you tell yourself. It can be positive or negative.
Negative self-talk includes:
- Focusing on what went wrong and ignoring what has gone right
- Blaming yourself for the actions of others
- Believing that one adverse event means everything else will go wrong
- Seeing everything as either black or white, with no shades of gray
Self-talk is a habit. With practice, any habit, including negative self-talk, can be changed.
First, consider one thing about which you are consistently pessimistic. Then replace your negative self-talk about it with an encouraging statement. Avoid being a Pollyanna, and choose a realistic and true statement.
Monitor your self-talk. Periodically stop whatever you’re doing and evaluate the quality of your thoughts. Make sure your expectations match reality.
Find something to laugh about, even if it’s just the foolishness of your thoughts. Call a friend who makes you smile. Pet your dog or cat.
Be kind to yourself. Would you talk to someone else the way you’re talking to yourself? Try to replace criticism with praise.
Other tips to overcome the habit of negative thinking include:
- Listening to music
- Getting outdoors
- Volunteering
- Being grateful
- Distinguishing between what’s important and what’s an annoyance
- Accepting yourself
When you have a choice, spend time with people who are positive. When you have overcome one negative self-talk statement, start on the next one. Repeat until your overall attitude changes from pessimistic to optimistic.
Pegasus is a licensed Home Care Organization and a Joint Commission Accredited Home Health Care organization. Our home healthcare team in Calabasas and our other locations provide one-on-one services to meet individual needs.
Your loved one receives support and compassion at all levels of care. We are dedicated to improving their quality of life. We are optimistic, and part of our care is helping individuals maintain a positive attitude about their health
