Gielan maintained that everybody can find something to be optimistic about, no matter how dire their circumstances, and thus find a path to improved financial health.
“Pessimists believe nothing good can ever happen,” she said. “The optimists believe that if they take steps to move forward … the best things are going to happen.”
But how do people confronted with circumstances such as homelessness, unemployment or divorce find anything to be optimistic about?
“I understand that circumstances can overwhelm most people, but one of the things we found is that optimists will tend to adapt,” Pullin said. “All it takes is just one small step."
A social safety net can also provide hope to many, Pullin said.
“Sometimes we need to rely on family or friends or the nearby shelter,” she said.
Gielan said that both brain and body work together to empower a person to deal with adverse circumstances, even though humans are hardwired by nature to be pessimistic.
“Our brains have a negativity bias that can lead to pessimism," she said. But “when the brain perceives a win, dopamine kicks in [and] your body and your brain want to do more.”
Pullin said the study produced a surprising finding that Frost Bank researchers did not expect.
“One of the great things that came out of our research is that people we interviewed said they wanted to be more optimistic,” she said.