I read this in a book called On Fire by John O’Leary. Researchers once conducted a study of nuns in a convent.

Since they lived a cloistered life, they shared many common factors. By studying their lives, you could determine factors that impacted life without having to account for a bunch of diversity.

The researchers studied the journals of the nun. Specifically, they noted the number of negative comments as compared to positive comments. Most journals trended one way or the other. The nun was likely more negative than positive. Or more positive than negative.

Here’s one of the learnings. 34 percent of the negative nuns were still alive at age 85. By contrast, 90 percent of the positive nuns were still alive.

Devotion, intellect, physical activity none of those factors contributed to longevity as much as whether the nun thought positively.

The lesson is obvious. You can be one who wonders why life is stacked against you. Or you can be one who stays positive, remains grateful and takes steps every day to make things better.

You may just last longer. And, you will be happening to the world.