BrainSMART Brief #1
Get the Best From Your Brain: Be Positive and Live Longer

By Dr. Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers

Great news! Researchers have discovered a way for you to live a longer, healthier life by changing only one thing. Hint: It’s not diet; it’s not exercise; it’s not supplements. The secret is simply training your brain to be more positive and optimistic. This simple change has profound effects: research shows that people who have a more optimistic and positive outlook tend to live 7 ½ years longer than their pessimistic peers. What’s more, another groundbreaking study shows that we can rewire our brains to be more positive and optimistic. To a major extent, as it turns out, attitude is a matter of choice.

Things to do to become more optimistic ---

1. Attitudes are contagious so spend time with positive, upbeat people. By the same token, avoid negative people who complain a lot as they can bring your mood down .

2. Monitor your conversations with others. When they drift into negative territory make a course correction and focus on more positive topics or nicely leave the conversation.

3. Ask yourself positive questions since they direct your thoughts. For example, what are the best things about my life right now? What is something good that happened to me today? What am I looking forward to tomorrow?

Conyers, M., & Wilson, D. (2005). BrainSMART 60 Strategies for Boosting Test Scores. Orlando, FL: BrainSMART.

Gupta, S. (2007). Chasing Life: New Discoveries in the Search for Immortality to Help You Age Less Today. New York: Warner.