New Book: Can Pessimists Learn To Be Optimists?

A leading researcher in the new field of positive psychology says that everyone -- even pessimists -- can learn to be more optimistic.

Suzanne Segerstrom's new book, "Breaking Murphy's Law: How Optimists Get What They Want from Life - and Pessimists Can Too," "lays out examples, guidelines and practical tips to undo optimism-suppressing thoughts, break free from the inertia of self-doubt, pay attention to unexpected positives, plan well and work hard, resist the temptation to give up, and celebrate small achievements."(1)

Among the lessons: don't try too hard. According to an article by Alison Roberts of the Sacramento Bee, Segerstrom says in the book that "if you're working too hard on happiness, you might not find it:"

"It's got to be a byproduct; it can't be the goal itself" says (Segerstrom) ... In one experiment, people were asked to listen to the uplifting strains of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring." Some were told to just listen, some were told to cheer themselves up by listening to it, and some were told to monitor how happy they felt as they listened.

The only people who felt happier listening to the music were those who weren't told to get happier or to note their feelings.

At the same time, as we've reported elsewhere, people who record the good things that happened to them every day show long-lasting improvements in attitude.

So part of the solution may be that you shouldn't work on your own happiness because others tell you to -- but because you want to. One reviewer of Segerstrom's book said it focuses not on happiness as an end, but on motivation and persistence.

Happiness can have benefits beyond the psychological. Segerstrom, an award winning instructor and Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky, has also published NIH-sponsored research showing that optimism can influence the immune system.

---
(1) University of Kentucky press release