How does the future look to you? Are you looking forward to better days to come? If so, you’re not only an optimist, but you’ll likely end up enjoying “exceptional longevity.” According to new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, being optimistic could boost your chances of living to age 85 and beyond (what the study’s authors term “exceptional longevity”) by more than 50%. This finding of a longer life span among optimists was independent of their socioeconomic status, health or lifestyle. While scientists are still not sure why optimism results in added longevity, there is now evidence that optimism can be a valuable psychological resource for extending your lifespan. So fill that glass halfway, and read more here.

What’s also important to understand is that optimism is an attitude that can be learned- it’s not just an inherent trait some of us are lucky to possess. As one psychologist has stated, “Optimism is like a muscle- you just have to train it.” There are ways you can adjust your mindset no matter your circumstances in order to be more optimistic and positive, even if that’s not your natural tendency or you have reason to feel down and depressed.  That includes practicing such simple acts as setting yourself a reminder to stay positive or taking a moment to savor what’s good in your life. And while ageism and aging more broadly might make you wonder what’s so good about the future to come, the reality is that people do seem to get happier as they age and there is much to celebrate as an older person, including a greater sense of well-being and the likely farewell of the drama of your younger years. Or, as writer Suzanne Moore recently declared in The Guardian, “(Aging) means living as you want, not as you should.” And that’s something for all of us to look forward to.