A Brainy New Year!

Now that 2014 has drawn to a close and we look ahead to the coming year, it is time to partake in that tried and true tradition of all wishful thinkers, the New Year’s Resolution. Let me guess: you’re intent on losing those extra pounds (even though you probably started accumulating them back in 2010); you’re going to dig out those musty workout clothes and force yourself to the gym (if you could only remember how to get there); and you swear to give up at least one of your vices, whether it be cigarettes, junk food, or as in my case, gin.

The New Year is a time for reflection. We look back over the past twelve months, at the changes in our lives (or lack thereof), and the swiftness with which each year passes, anticipating what lies ahead as the year unfolds before us. It can be a scary time.

Let’s face it, the older we get, the shorter our future becomes. The horizon, which seemed so far off as we cruised through adolescence, suddenly looms large before us as we find ourselves cresting the onrushing midlife wave. And with each passing December, with each approach of the New Year, we grow more aware of the “tick-tock” of Father Time.

I happen to love the New Year. To me, it signifies a fresh start, new beginnings, and the opportunity to set new goals. I know that spring is just around the corner, putting an end to the winter doldrums which, here in Florida, last for an excruciating week and a half). But all this anticipation got me thinking about that one crucial commodity for planning ahead: optimism.

Optimism is a vital mental tool, one that can not only make us feel better, but can actually improve our health. Some evolutionists believe a tendency toward optimism – what they term the “optimism bias” – is hard-wired into our brains and was integral to the dramatic cultural transformations that have taken place among humans over the past fifty thousand years. In that short span of time (geologically speaking), we have gone from artless, illiterate hunter-gatherers to beings that communicate on a global scale, create masterful works of art, and traverse the cosmos. And how could we have achieved any of this without a strong dose of optimism?

The optimism bias is universal among humans, but can vary depending on our individual wiring. Even though our brains are constructed as two mirrored halves (bilaterally symmetrical), many of our skills, such as language and handedness, are controlled by a designated half. This brainy asymmetry allows us to perform many tasks at once. And when it comes to optimism, it is the left hemisphere - or “left brain” in neuro slang - that takes the lead. 

This “lateralization” of optimistic behavior is expressed in the way we think, feel, behave, and even plan for future events. We’re all familiar with the “glass half-full-half-empty” analogy. Optimistic folks tend to focus on the positive, usually ignoring or minimizing anything that threatens to quash their rosy outlook. Pessimists (those "right brainers") do the opposite: their “half-empty” mentality tends to lead them down the gloomy paths of worry and doubt. These opposing life views have even been tested experimentally. Optimists will spend less time focusing on negative visual stimuli than their pessimistic counterparts, who not only spend more time focusing on the negative, but also tend to take greater cues from negative stimuli in their environment.

That’s not to say that pessimism should be eliminated. It serves a vital role in keeping our overly optimistic tendencies in check. Can you imagine the havoc that would ensue if we failed to anticipate setbacks, accidents, or illness? Unbridled optimism could result in financial hardship, traumatic injuries, or debilitating illness if we ignored the necessities of savings accounts, seatbelts, and preventive medicine. A little bit of pessimism goes a long way.

So as you enter the coming months and tackle your resolutions, strike a balance between your brainy halves. Approach the New Year with the utmost optimism, but temper it with a small dose of pessimism. Perhaps you will finally lose that weight, or become a model of fitness, or finally shake that vice. But if you don’t succeed, at least take comfort in the fact that you are making an effort. And remember, the key to optimism is that vital, life-sustaining force: hope.

Happy New Year!