--- title: The Optimistic Advantage in Being Well - Real Balance Certified Health and Wellness Coach Training description: Discover the power of optimism in shaping behaviour and health outcomes. Studies show optimists have lower risks of heart disease and mortality. Find out more a --- ## The Optimistic Advantage in Being Well : By: [Dr.Michael](https://realbalance.com/component/contact/contact/michael-arloski?catid=4&Itemid=101) : January 15, 2012 ![Glass half full](https://realbalance.com/images/wellness-blog/800x600/glasshalffull2.jpg) Considering how happy most folks are to see 2011 fading in the rear-view mirror, it’s amazing what a collective sense of optimism there is about 2012. An Associated Press-GfK survey found that **62 percent of those surveyed are optimistic about what 2012 will bring America, and 78 percent were personally optimistic about the new year.** ([http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70925.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70925.html)) This validated my experience at a big New Year’s Eve party where there wasn’t much talk about resolutions, but there was a surprisingly positive and hopeful view of the coming year. We all know that New Year’s Resolutions often fade away quicker than losing teams in the football playoffs. Optimism, however, works! **When it comes to being successful at changing behavior, especially health behavior, the optimists have an upper hand.** In a huge study of 100,000 women (reported on a BBC website [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8193180.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8193180.stm)) American researchers found results that mirrored those of an earlier Dutch study on men. Published in the prestigious medical journal ***Circulation***, the study showed that **“optimistic women had a 9% lower chance of developing heart disease and a 14% lower chance of dying from any cause after more than eight years of follow up**. In comparison cynical women who harboured hostile thoughts about others or were generally mistrusting of others were 16% more likely to die over the same time-scale.” Another study in***The Archives of General Psychiatry*** (Nov 2004) states that major depression is a known risk factor in cardiovascular death – this isn’t new news. **Optimists have a 55% lower risk of death from all causes and a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular death than pessimists.** ([http://l-pawlik-kienlen.suite101.com/personality-changes-everything-a12402#ixzz1jNWQda4E](http://l-pawlik-kienlen.suite101.com/personality-changes-everything-a12402#ixzz1jNWQda4E)) A study in the February 27, 2006 issue of ***Archives of Internal Medicine***, found that the **most optimistic elderly men had a 50% lower risk of cardiovascular death over 15 years** when compared with the least optimistic. These are only a few of the studies out there, but we’d have to say that being optimistic is a significant advantage. ([http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/optimism-associated-with-lower-cardiovascular-risk](http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/optimism-associated-with-lower-cardiovascular-risk)) ![peace pilgrim](https://realbalance.com/images/wellness-blog/peace-pilgrim.jpg)Mildred Norman walked over 25,000 miles spreading peace. ***"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought."***– Peace Pilgrim When social scientists study optimism though, as usual, the simplistic becomes more complex than we thought. In the comprehensive book *Health Behavior Change and Treatment Adherence: Evidence-based Guidelines*, authors Leslie Martin, et. al. ([http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/?view=usa&view=usa&ci=9780195380408&cp=24297](http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/?view=usa&view=usa&ci=9780195380408&cp=24297)) find optimism to be an advantage for healthy behavior, but not without it’s contradictions. **When Optimism Becomes Too Rosy** **One downside can be when optimists consider health risks.** The overly optimistic person wants to assume that their casual sexual partner is certainly free of any STD’s. They may forego their annual medical check-up for years and years because they are so positive that they are completely healthy. **Optimists expect positive outcomes, but don’t always realize that they may need to take action to change their own behavior in order to affect those outcomes.** This is where wellness coaching can help a client get the results they want by implementing a real plan to get there. ![optimistic](https://realbalance.com/images/wellness-blog/optimistic2.jpg)Optimism doesn't guarantee success, but it helps! Optimism is no “free pass” to success at behavioral change. Martin, et.al., found that **optimistic self-beliefs don’t operate equally across all type of change.** Some people might feel very optimistic about starting a change process in some areas and not in others, or “competent to start a new behavior but frustrated and pessimistic when facing the inevitable difficulties and barriers in its long-term maintenance.” They also found that “Optimism may help when meeting primary prevention goals such as eating a healthful diet or when initially faced with a health crisis. **Optimism may be less helpful when dealing with the ongoing challenges of treatment for a chronic illness** or when making assessments about risks…” Martin and crew do conclude though, that **“Optimism… appears to be a major determinant of goal-directed behavior and tenacity. Optimistic people persevere and keep trying despite difficulties!”** **Coaching is an intrinsically optimistic process and profession.** It believes, and coaches themselves believe, in the potential of the human spirit. I love to say that coaching was grounded in Positive Psychology twenty years before Martin Seligman and others started using that term. Their research has done a great job of validating the coach approach. Wellness coaches will forever encounter less than optimistic, even flat-out pessimistic clients. **Many times we are working with people whose hope and optimism has been dashed by one failure experience after another.** Lifestyle change goals like weight-loss, stress management and smoking cessation are frequently attempted and met with disappointment. Such a client needs to have what Albert Bandura calls **“Mastery Experiences”**. It’s the old coaching maxim of “nothing succeeds like success”. Call them baby steps, or whatever you like, but success does build on small, high-probability successes. We can enhance that success probability with good coaching. **As self-efficacy rises once again, hope and optimism is generated, re-kindled. The fire of change is ignited once again!** ***![helen keller](https://realbalance.com/images/wellness-blog/helenkeller.jpg)"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."*** - Helen Keller What are your thoughts on optimism and behavior change? Please add your comments here.