Now that the holiday festivities are behind and a new year is ahead, where do we stand?

Traditionally, we resolve to improve our lives in some way; take stock of what is important; become better versions of ourselves.

New Year resolutions are as old as history. Records show the ancient Babylonians, 4000 years ago, made new year resolutions. Their favourites were: paying debts; returning borrowed items — both practical and ethical. To them, resolutions were a reflection of their belief that what a person does on the first day of the year, will have an effect throughout the entire year — a thought worth dwelling upon.

Admittedly the success rate of New Year resolutions is discouraging, since 90 per cent of us fail to keep them by February and only nine per cent stick to them the entire year. Resolutions are still a positive step towards a brighter future, certainly worth making.

Even if we do fail; even if we fall in the trap of being what we have been, not what we can be, hope springs eternal.

On our forward march into the New Year we soon come to a fork on the road. We either travel up the road of optimism or down the road of pessimism. We have to choose between hope and despair. Our basic instincts determine our choice. Our nature guides us and decides our destiny.

Alan McGinnis, major researcher of the 20th Century, believes optimism is a primary factor in living happy and successful lives. What if we are not born optimists?

We can all become more optimistic by adapting the way we see things: the glass is half full.

Optimism is 50 per cent inherited from our genes, 40 per cent determined by ourselves, 10 per cent by others, (environment, etc). So the good news is that we can act individually on our level of optimism by working on that 40 per cent. It is our decision.

It is time to ring in the New Year with a new attitude; ring in hope, good cheer and a “can do” spirit. Setbacks should not dash all hopes for success.

Studies from the Mayo Clinic show that optimists live longer lives than pessimists. Their immune system is more effective and they are more likely to seek medical advice and generally stick to a healthier regimen.

Optimists maintain that the world on the whole is good and beautiful. They possess the tendency to look on the bright side and see the doughnut not the hole. They are happy to be alive. Would you not like to share these sentiments? It can be done.

Scientists believe pessimists can be optimists. Positive thinking does not solve every problem but it is far better tool than negative thinking.

We turn to the experts for more help.

In a workshop of pessimistic students conducted by prominent psychologists Seligman and Buchanan, the results were encouraging. The study found that the students were able to learn social and work skills that helped them avert chronic negative thoughts. They also reported fewer health problems.

Martin Seligman in his famous book Learned Optimism, writes that even among children the highest scores for optimism were predictive of excellence in everything. Furthermore, optimists are more resistant to infectious diseases and “are better at fending off chronic diseases of middle age”.

A list of optimists shows that the greater minds have a hopeful view of life — Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, St Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Scholastics, Kant, Fichte, Hegel and even the Old Testament: “And God saw all things and they were very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

Pessimists can learn the skills of those blessed by the gods.

Focus on what you have, not instead of what you have not. You can break the pessimistic cycle if you boost up your mood and self-esteem.

Optimists in general possess a set of self-serving “illusions” that enable them to maintain good cheer, good health in a universe essentially indifferent to their welfare. Even if their good cheer is unwarranted it accomplishes more than realism.

How about picking a resolution for the New Year? It is important, despite the percentage of failure, there is a faint shadow of a guideline that appears now and then to give life a purpose.

Experts offer some ideas.

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes — it develops compassion. Avoid purveyors of doom and gloom, they only drag you down. Do not abandon your old-fashioned principles, they never go out of style.

Humour saves years of your life. It can be done. You can be free again of your depressive state of pessimism within a few weeks.

It is well documented that optimism once learned and enjoyed, a relapse is unlikely.

Guard yourself against social comparison. It is one of the main causes of anxiety and depression. Ancient philosopher Seneca said: “True happiness is to enjoy the present, to rest satisfied with what we have, for he that is so wants for nothing.”

By expressing gratitude you are choosing to acknowledge all of the wonderful things in your life.

It is up to us to choose optimism, to choose love over fear, hope over despair. No hope is ever too small.

Find the courage to dream great dreams. Dreams do come true.

Count your blessings, say thank you every morning.

Above all, keep smiling. It releases endorphins and reduces stress, moreover, it makes other people happy.

You might be surprised how good you feel when you make someone else smile.

“The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven hell, a hell heaven.”

      John Milton (1608-1674)

* A version of this article appears in print in the 11 January, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly