Wear sunscreen: 10 tips for happiness and optimism
Twixt the optimist and pessimist, The difference is droll The optimist sees the doughnut But the pessimist sees the hole (published 1915). ~Florence McLandburgh Wilson, American author
Do you remember “Wear Sunscreen” and the advice in it about how to live a more optimistic and happier life? No? Maybe you are just too young to remember it. Penned 24 years ago, it’s quite possible you are older than the song. I’m going to revisit the song in today’s post because there are some gems worth remembering in the lyrics not only about optimism but about how to be your best future self.
Where did the phrase originate?
“Wear sunscreen” was originally an opinion piece written by American journalist Mary Schmich in 1997 for the Chicago Tribune entitled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.” It was a hypothetical commencement speech. Despite numerous claims to the contrary, the actual essay was not a commencement speech at MIT delivered by Kurt Vonnegut. That is an urban myth. Baz Luhrman created a hit spoken-word song in 1999. In the days before Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, the words and song went viral via email. Imagine that!
The title “Wear Sunscreen” stemmed from Mary Schmich watching a young woman sunbathing and saying to herself, “I hope she’s wearing sunscreen.” She said she did not do that herself when young, and regretted it later.
So why recall the song now?
‘Tis the season of graduations, commencement ceremonies, new beginnings, and in 2021, a renewed optimism about the future as we hope the Covid pandemic is truly in retreat. Paying attention to what makes you happy and how to stay optimistic about the future seems particularly pertinent now. Especially for the many 2021 graduates that are actually going to ceremonies in person and sometimes even without masks.
I’ve written about the usefulness of optimism in “Welcome the New Year with an optimism bias.” An optimism bias is simply the idea that the future is bound to be better than the past. This is sometimes referred to as an explanatory style leaning toward optimism. And that is particularly useful for new graduates and young adults becoming ever more independent. It doesn’t hurt the rest of us to think this way, either.
What’s so great about optimism?
It’s my belief that thinking optimistically about the future helps make it so. If you think the future will be worse, you focus on bad outcomes and get discouraged. If you think the future is bright, you feel confident about going forward in time. This kind of optimism is not “Don’t worry, be happy” but a realistic optimism based on a real assessment of the current situation, and actively working to make it better for yourself. You are willing to engage in activities that promote good outcomes, like eating right; yoga, meditation, or other spiritual practice; exercising; sleep; and social time. A great mnemonic device for remembering these basics is EYESS.
Optimism and health
Optimism leads to better health outcomes. According to a longitudinal 30-year study of 800 patients by the Mayo Clinic, optimists have a 16% lower chance of heart attacks, healthier immune systems, and cope better with physical pain. They have lower blood pressure and recover more quickly from surgeries, and even recover from virus infections more quickly. One health study by Boston and Harvard universities did a 10-year study of 1,306 men with an average age of 61; pessimists were twice as likely as optimists to develop heart disease, even accounting for other factors. All in all, optimists live longer, too: one four-year Dutch study for 941 participants showed optimists, again even accounting for other factors, to have a 45% lower risk of death for both women and men aged 65 to 85 over a nine-year follow-up period.
Lyrics for optimism and happiness
Below are a few of the tips in the lyrics in abbreviated form to “Wear Sunscreen” by Baz Luhrmann. Of course, the first one being to wear sunscreen because the benefits are well known:
- Wear sunscreen [because the benefits are well known]
- Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth…you are not as fat as you imagine
- Don’t worry about the future…The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind
- Do one thing every day that scares you
- Sing
- Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts; don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours
- Floss
- Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself
- Remember the compliments you receive; forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how
- Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.
Letting things go
This last one, coming from a former professional organizer (me) is particularly useful. Piles of paper can easily overwhelm you very quickly. Actually, research shows that more than ½ inch of uncategorized/unfiled papers on your desk will cause your brain to feel overwhelmed. This is especially bad for academic writers sitting down at their desks and wanting the writing experience to flow. Trust me, I’ve been there! It’s better to pile your files on the floor around you than to have them all over your desk. My own office looks like a tornado with all the piles on the floor when I am working on a big project. I will clean it up after I am finished, but I do actually know what is in the various piles.
Sorry for that digression. Back to the bank statements. The truth is the only banking or account statements you really need are the most recent ones. That’s all that will matter if you want to take your money out today. It doesn’t matter what the statement said a month ago.
As you enter the season of graduations and new beginnings, let go of some of that paper weight. Lots of people throw away materials at the end of the semester (just make sure you shred it if there is identifying information like SSNs). It’s healthy and probably will also make you happy. And happiness leads to more optimism creating a brighter future.
If you still need help organizing your life, contact Hillary for a free 20-minute session.
Tags: academia, academic, attitude, becoming yourself, confidence, get organized, Getting Organized, happiness, happiness at work, letting go, optimism
