Pessimism is more than a frame of mind – it’s a disease that can shorten your life. But here’s the good news: you can cure it!
I’m tired. Really tired. My two-year-old woke up at 2:23a.m. last night. I tried not to look at the clock but couldn’t help it. She had a nosebleed. Why does she get these at night? It never happens during the day. An hour later the cat started scratching at the door. It wanted to go outside and kill something. It never eats what it kills. It just dumps the carcasses at our door. Why does it do that? My wife says it’s a sign that the cat loves us. I don’t think so.
Didn’t get a seat on the train this morning. Typical. Now my computer isn’t working. I must emit a magnetic field that jams its circuitry. Or maybe it hates me. Why not? Dogs growl and babies cry when I approach.
Do I sound like a whiner? People call me a cynic, a killjoy. My wife’s kinder; she says I’m a pessimist. She’s right, of course. But to be honest, I never considered my pessimism a problem. It’s how my brain works. In fact, researchers at the University of British Columbia found that a person’s “emotional subjectivity” may have genetic roots. So what’s the problem? Takes all kinds, right?
Well, as usual, I’m wrong. Pessimism is more than just a disposition – it may be linked to diseases, and virulent ones at that. I discovered this when my wife, a physician, gave me a sheaf of studies after listening to one of my mournful monologues at the end of a frustrating day.
Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
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Denne historien er fra January 2018-utgaven av Men's Health South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Last 7 Recipe You'll Ever Need
FADS COME AND GO. BUT GOOD EATING AND PROPER NUTRITION CHANGES VERY LITTLE. SO WE COMBED THROUGH ALL THE RECIPES IN MEN'S HEALTH'S 36-YEAR HISTORY TO FIND THE ONES THAT TRULY DELIVER ON BOTH FLAVOUR AND FUNCTION.
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AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 ADVENTURES
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4 WAYS TO REBOOT YOUR MINDSET
STRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD AND/OR YOUR SANITY? WE'VE GOT FOUR SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU ADAPT AND OVERCOME, THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.
TRAIN TO YOUR MAX
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SLUSH FUN
FROZEN DAIQUIRIS ARE REFRESHI AND ALSO SICKENINGLY SWEET. TRY A FROZEN PIMM'S CUP, WHICH HAS ALL THE FLAVOURS WITH WAY LESS SUGAR.
THE HEALTH SNOB'S GUIDE TO COLD-BREW COFFEE
BOTTLED COFFEE MIGHT BE ABUNDANT, BUT CAFFEINE AFICIONADOS MAKE THEIR OWN. FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO PREP A HEALTHY BREW FOR A REFRESHING PERK-ME-UP.
SUPP CHECK RECOVERY PACKAGE
COLLAGEN IS TOUTED AS THE GO-TO SUPP FOR BONE, SKIN AND JOINT HEALTH, PLUS FAST INJURY REPAIR. BUT DOES IT DELIVER? TIME TO GEN UP.
THE SEMI-COMPLETE USER'S GUIDE TO...THE SINUSES
FOR AS LONG AS sinuses have been around, aka forever, there has been a ton that scientists haven't figured out about them.
BULLISH
The Blue Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier is striving for greatness. Here's how he's putting in the right reps to make sure mind and muscle are firing in unison.