A Majority Pursue the American Dream
Happy 250th Year of our country’s independence! A recent poll showed there’s a great deal of optimism alive and well in our country. Overall, 67% of those polled have achieved, or are pursuing, the American Dream. And of those between the ages of 18-29, 55% say the same.
This gives me hope, because all we hear in the news is how bad things are. Even the newly elected Mayor of New York City gave a speech on July 3rd stating all the negative things about our country. I had to turn the volume off — I didn’t want anything bringing me down over the past few days.
It’s a time for celebration and optimism!
Why Optimists Live Longer
Research reveals that optimists live on average 11 to 15 percent longer than pessimists and have an excellent chance of achieving exceptional longevity.
People who have an optimistic outlook on life have a “…lower incidence of age-related illnesses and reduced mortality levels…they are mindsets that can be scientifically measured.”
The article continues:
“A 2019 review, published by Alan Rozanski, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Morningside hospital in New York City compared the results of 15 different studies for a total of 229,391 participants. His analysis showed that optimists experience a 35 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those with lower optimism, as well as a lower mortality rate.”
Optimists usually take better care of themselves. They eat healthy, exercise and don’t smoke.
Pessimistic people don’t care for themselves as well and the stress hormones they generate, like cortisol, contributes to wear and tear on their bodies which leads to inflammation and depression.
Optimists tend to be more confident about life. Their attitude is that they can overcome obstacles rather than thinking they can’t do anything to change things that are difficult or wrong.
8 Ways to Build an Optimistic Attitude
My mom used to ask my dad before he tackled a tough project, “Bob, how in the world are you going to manage that all by yourself?” He’d just smile at her and reply, “You just watch me!”
(Photo: Dad at Age 90 building the deck all by himself)
He had the secret — just say you’re going to succeed, believe it, and you most likely will achieve it!
Here’s how to create an optimistic attitude:
- Just try. If you approach the problem with confidence, rather than a doubtful perspective, you will be more likely to succeed. Athletes do this all the time.
“Visualization, or mental imagery, is a cognitive technique where athletes imagine themselves performing at their peak…the power of visualization lies in how the brain processes imagined experience. Studies in neuroscience and sports psychology reveal that when athletes visualize an action, the brain activates the same neural networks used during physical execution. It:
- Enhances muscle memory
- Improves coordination and timing
- Builds self-confidence
- Reduces performance anxiety
- In other words, the brain doesn’t always distinguish between a vividly imagined experience and a real one!”
2. Squelch the complaining and negative self-talk. Replace it with positive affirmations like, “I can do this, or, I can learn this and improve.”
3. Share those affirmations. Other people need to hear those uplifting messages too — your spouse, children, co-workers. Just verbalizing them will lift your spirits as well. Try it!
4. Hang out with positive people. I’ve heard it said we are the reflection of the five people we spend the most time with. If they’re a negative, cynical, complaining bunch, then you’re more likely to pick up their habits.
5. Smile more. Did you know that those interviewing for a job were more likely to get it if they smiled four or more times during the interaction? People respond well to a smiling face. And physiologically, you are more likely to lift your own spirits if you make an effort to smile.
6. Build gratitude into your life. Make it a habit to think of three things you’re thankful for each day. It could be something as simple as, “By golly, I’m glad I woke up this morning!” Or time with a loved one, a hot shower, beautiful music or rain for your parched grass.
7. Model yourself after people you admire. There are people in your life who have overcome challenges, persevered and accomplished great things. They are people you emulate. Identify what you admire and then try to adopt their habits, even in small ways.
8. Pursue activities that make you happy. Do at least one thing each day that brings you joy: share lunch with a friend, discover a great new book, take a drive into the country, take a nap, watch your kids play sports. If you can’t think of anything that brings you joy, it’s time to re-evaluate your life and make a conscious effort to find an activity that does.
I Wish You Well
During this year of our nation’s 250th Celebration, I wish you happiness, success and fulfillment in what you are pursuing in life. There are moments of trial, to be sure, but as a Nation and as citizens, we have what it takes to make good things happen. And we have wonderful role models, after all.
Thank You to Supporters
I’d like to thank those who have invested in supporting my writing efforts both recently and over the past few years. You know who you are. I’m so grateful for your support!
My Latest Adventure
After 25 years helping people with their websites, blogs, search engine optimization and now AI referrals, I’ve created a downloadable PDF booklet entitled, “Website, SEO, AI and Blogging Basics Blueprint” for solopreneurs and small business owners who want a leg up on leveraging technology. I hope you’ll check it out! (And it’s priced patriotically!) Get it at: https://www.lauralollar.com/booklets-and-blueprints/
On My Bookshelf
Here are some of the best books I’ve ever read. Great for your summer reading!
It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden. “…a concise guide to making the most of yourself — a pocket ‘bible’ for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible.”
The Shipping News by Annie Proulx. “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, The Shipping News is a celebration of Annie Proulx’s genius for storytelling and her vigorous contribution to the art of the novel.” — This story is about “a third-rate newspaper hack who is wrenched violently out of his workaday life when his two-timing wife meets her just deserts. He’s convinced to move to the starkly beautiful coastal landscape of their ancestral home in Newfoundland. Here, the battered members of three generations try to cobble up new lives.”
Jerry Jenkins and I agree, All Over But the Shoutin’ by Rick Bragg is the best book ever! “This haunting, harrowing, gloriously moving recollection of a life on the American margin is the story of Rick Bragg, who grew up dirt-poor in northeastern Alabama, seemingly destined for either the cotton mills or the penitentiary, and instead became a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times.”
A Beautiful, Soaring Song to Lift Your Spirits!
Nella Fantasia by Sarah Brightman — one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard!