Study finds pessimists are happier than positive thinkers
Posted February 28, 2013 7:52 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It turns out the power of positive thinking may be a whole lot of bunk. New research suggests you get more satisfaction out of life if you’re pessimistic.
Sorry, Oprah, but the real secret may be to keep your expectations low and that way you’ll seldom be disappointed.
A study out of Germany suggests pessimists, especially older people, find greater life satisfaction than their more positive counterparts. Factors, such as illness, medical treatment or personal losses, may have driven health outcomes, according to the study said.
The research found more than two-thirds of those aged 65 to 96 who thought life would only get worse actually had better health outcomes.
The thinking behind it is, a pessimistic forecast is often the more realistic one and ultimately, understanding things may get worse can actually have a positive effect.
