Living longer is something we can all be happier about. A positive outlook can influence more than just your mood. “People who are optimistic are more committed to their goals, are more successful in achieving their goals, are more satisfied with their lives, and have better mental and physical health when compared to more pessimistic people,” said Segerstrom.





You’ll also live longer. A Dutch study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that those of a pessimistic disposition were 55% more likely to die during the nine-year follow-up period. The effect was particularly strong in men. A longer life is certainly something to smile about.

4. Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America. Make positivity a part of your arsenal against it: An optimistic approach lowers your chance of heart disease. A study published in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association, led by Hilary A Tindle, found that optimists were less likely than pessimists to develop coronary heart disease (CHD).



One study even found that individuals who had higher levels of optimism had a 73% lower risk of heart failure compared with those who were pessimistic. It’s worth noting that previous research has found that optimism may cause people to adopt healthier lifestyles, such as following a healthier diet, exercising more, and managing stress, which may account for the huge difference.



Whether it’s from adapting a move active lifestyle or purely the positivity, those numbers are hard to ignore.