"The Tinkerbell Effect: How Optimism & Action Can Bring You Back to Life"by Roberta M. Diddel, Ph.D. (originally published in "Scleroderma Voice," 2006 #4) We’re all taught that optimism is good for you, but did you know that psychologists have proven that fact? Studies in the new field of positive psychology have shown that people who are optimistic are healthier, live longer, are more successful, more creative, more popular, recover more quickly from trauma, and are less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. There are several reasons why optimistic people do better, but one main reason is that optimism leads people to be open to experience and makes them more willing to try new things. The person who tries something is more likely to succeed than the one who doesn’t. As basketball star and politician Bill Bradley said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Positive people also tend to draw others to them, because it’s easier to be around someone who’s optimistic. That may explain why optimists live longer—they seem able to gather support from others and ask for help when they need it. Optimism also serves as a buffer against stressors, like illness, pain and fatigue. Chronic illness makes it hard to enjoy and stay involved in life and relationships. Positive thinking helps to combat the temptation to withdraw, becoming focused on how bad one feels and how dismal the future seems. Optimism is also connected with a trait called resilience. Resilient people manage difficulties better because they tend to believe they can overcome life’s challenges, feel their needs are important, seek out opportunities to laugh, and have fun. They are able to put fear and pessimistic thoughts out of their minds for periods of time in order to take what pleasure they can from life. Resilience is as much about doing as thinking, because without activities, life becomes devoid of meaning and we become disengaged. So you may not need to be optimistic, as long as you act optimistic, since most of the benefits of positive thinking stem from living life actively and staying engaged socially. We are a little like Tinkerbell, the fairy from Peter Pan who begins to die after drinking poison. We can save her only by clapping to show that we believe in her. It’s not enough just to believe; we must act. This, then, is the Tinkerbell Effect—creating life through activities that express our values and use our strengths, that bring us closer to others and to our purpose in life. So get out there every day and clap. Dr. Diddel was the keynote speaker of this year’s National Conference. She is the executive director of Psychology Works, a non-profit organization educating people with chronic disease and their families about how to adapt to the emotional and social impact of illness. She has been quadriplegic since a spinal cord injury in 1973. |