Mugs Worth Mentioning & 8 Powerful Health Benefits You Can Reap From An Optimistic Outlook

Trends and fads come and go, and due to their fleeting nature, we can be tempted to either easily dismiss a ride on such bandwagons or hop on only to quickly jump right back off when the newest trend arrives.

But, now and then a trend comes along that has implications reaching far past what we see in the moment.

For instance, many of you may have noticed the recent popularity across social media platforms of coffee mugs with affirmations or positive messaging printed on them.

Now, mugs in and of themselves, in various styles and functions, easily wax and wane in popularity from time to time. But, these mugs, those with such bright and optimistic sayings, could actually change your life!

I know, I know, that’s a big claim, but believe it or not, your outlook on life has the power to reduce your risk of many diseases, improve your mental health, and even help you live longer.

So, pour yourself a mug of your favorite Lifeboost brew and think positive thoughts with me today as we explore the powerful health benefits associated with this happy trend!

A Cup Of Positivity

I’ve been searching for a while now, trying to find the authentic origin of the phrase “see beauty, speak beauty,” yet I’m coming up empty handed.

Nevertheless, “see beauty, speak beauty,” is a concept I’ve sought to adopt in my life.

I firmly believe there is power in a compliment or kindness expressed to others, so I make it a point to be sure to tell folks of the beautiful things I see/hear/know.

“You have the most contagious laugh.”

“Your smile is truly beautiful.”

“Thank you for being so kind; you’ve just made my day.”

But, the thing is, that saying possesses an equal wealth of reward, and even power, when we reverse it - speak beauty, see beauty.

In other words, what we often speak, we tend to see.

In the case of negativity, if you continually think of or speak negative things, you’ll likely continue seeing negativity wherever you look.

Why? Because, negativity spreads, much like an infection.

And, in the case of your mindset, the most powerful way to drown out any inclination of negativity is to focus on what is good, right, and positive.

A negative mindset tears you down. It tears others down. And, it destroys potential.

Truly, nothing good can come from such an outlook.

Positivity, however, is also abundantly powerful and equally spreading.

Of course, I’m not talking about seeing the world through rose colored glasses.

We’re not ignorant to the fact that difficult circumstances and situations can find us all, but how we approach these things can make all the difference in how those circumstances affect our health and our lives.

So, when we choose to speak beauty, we will in turn begin to see beauty all around us.

You see, when we view things with a positive outlook, when we speak positively to ourselves and about our situations, such a mindset can change how we perceive said situations, how we act and/or respond, how we proceed, and ultimately such optimism can even impact the very health of our body!

Now, you know how much we care about health here at Lifeboost.

I mean, health (and great tasting coffee) is behind everything we do - from the coffee we source, the way those plants are grown, harvested, washed, and processed, to even the ways we flavor, decaffeinate, and roast our coffee beans.

So, as we’ve noticed the trend of folks sharing their coffee mugs, complete with positive or optimistic messaging, across several social media platforms, we decided to dig into this popular sharing and see how such messaging can truly upgrade your healthy sipping experience.

But ultimately, whether your coffee mug displays a reminder to view life in such a way or not, science has repeatedly proven such a mindset to be a powerfully important element to a healthy mind and body.

8 Health Benefits Of An Optimistic Outlook

1- Longer Lifespan

One study has shown that those individuals who have a greater sense of optimism live longer than those who look at life through a negative lens.

In this study, for both men and women, those who were evaluated and assessed as being optimistic, were associated with a longer lifespan and were even described as having “exceptional longevity,” which was defined as living beyond the age of 85.

2- Lower Levels Of Pain

Studies have shown that those individuals with a positive outlook have overall lower levels of pain.

This phenomenon is puzzling to some, but health experts believe this to be possible as those with an optimistic outlook on life tend to “have better chronic pain outcomes because they are less attentive to pain and better able to adjust to life with a pain condition.”

3- Improved Stress Management

Stress plays a very large role in our overall health, with high stress levels being a contributing factor in multiple diseases.

A positive outlook on life, however, has been shown to aid in an individual’s ability to manage stress in a healthy way, thereby lowering stress levels and reducing the negative impact stress has on the body.

4- Resilience To Illness/Infection

When you have an optimistic outlook, you actually strengthen your immune system, aiding in its battle to fight off infection and/or illness.

One study, in particular, observed this powerful link in law students, tracking changes in the participants in regards to their levels of optimism and how this impacted immune responses.

Their findings?

“...as students became more optimistic, they showed stronger cell-mediated immunity, the flood of immune cells that respond to an invasion by foreign viruses or bacteria. When optimism dropped, so did cell-mediated immunity.”

5- Reduced Risk Of Depression

Just as an optimistic outlook can reduce stress, it can also lower one’s risk of depression and anxiety.

Specifically, high levels of optimism or positivity are linked to lower stress, greater social support, and healthy coping strategies. And, each of these are proven to protect against depression and anxiety.

Even better, optimism is linked to improvements in one’s overall mental health and wellbeing.

6- Improved Heart Health

By and large, it is known that those people who have a generally positive outlook on life tend to be more active and prioritize overall health.

And, this is just one way optimism is said to be linked to better physical health in folks.

But, when specifically speaking of heart health, positivity is associated with lowered blood pressure, reduced blood sugar levels, and healthy cholesterol levels, each of which are essential for optimal heart health.

7- Decreased Risk Of Death From Cancer

When dealing with cancer, fear, depression, anxiety, and distress can each be a cancer on their own as these negative mindsets or outcomes can hinder the body’s ability to fight cancer…or any illness for that matter.

So, in the case of cancer, a positive mindset can actually improve health and boost your body’s innate cancer-fighting resources.

Essentially, this is the exact notion we covered above, regarding how optimism improves the body’s ability to fight infection.

But, in the case of cancer, while studies have yet to prove optimism to be an effective cure for this disease, those with cancer who have a positive outlook are said to have a better quality of life and a longer life.

8- Improved Overall Psychological And Physical Well-Being

Each of the above listed benefits combine to produce an overall healthy physical and mental state, with optimism or positivity, obviously, being at the root of such rewards.

Some researchers call this an upbeat mental state, others define this as an optimistic outlook, still others call it a positive state of mind, but no matter the name, when you improve the way you look at life, seeking to view things with a positive lens or optimistic mindset, your overall health and well being improves.

From the reduced risks of disease and illness we’ve covered here, to the improvements in stress management and lowered instances of depression, your physical and mental state can only reap good rewards when you focus on having a positive, optimistic outlook.

Fostering Positivity

We’ve covered the benefits, now what about the actual practice of positivity?

How can you become more optimistic in your day to day life?

Of course, a trendy coffee mug with powerfully positive sayings can serve as a reminder to foster such a mindset, but in case you’re in need of a few other tips, check out the following:

Garbage In, Garbage out - Seek to monitor what you’re consuming and what or who you’re with the most.

If you’re reading or watching negativity, you’ll be negative. If you’re around negative people, you’ll likely be negative.

So, be sure to fill your friend circle or support group, as well as the content you read or view, with optimistic and positive messaging.


Goals - Give yourself something to work towards, and be realistic.

Experts agree that working towards and accomplishing goals is closely related to optimism, fostering both positivity and a healthy mindset.


Practice Gratitude - Looking for, recognizing, and listing or speaking those things which you’re grateful for each day can help you to have a positive outlook and mindset.


Reconstruct Situations - When faced with a difficult situation or circumstance, take some time to look at the situation in its entirety, consider all aspects, and look for both positive outcomes as well as optimistic ways to view the situation.


Smile - Feeling blue? Smile. Feeling negative or struggling to see the positive? Smile.

Simply seeking to smile in all of life’s circumstances is proven to improve your mood and produce a positive outlook in otherwise dreary situations.

Make Time For A Positive Mindset - This is where I think the trend of optimistic sayings on coffee mugs is just simply…incredible!

We must make time to focus on the positive things in our lives in order to train or retrain our brains to view life in such a manner.

Maybe, for you, this occurs as you practice daily positive affirmations in your bathroom mirror? Or, maybe this is something you spend 10 minutes on each morning to begin your day with a proper focus?

Then, of course, maybe you can spend some time over your morning cup of coffee to intentionally focus your thoughts in a positive direction.

Either way, no matter your method, set aside time each day to focus on the positive.

Mugs Worth Mentioning

To close out our time today, I thought it would be appropriate to have a bit of fun and showcase some of my personal positive-affirmation mug favorites…you know, those which exemplify the optimistic outlook we seek.

So, I’ll list my top 5 favorites, but we’d all love to know if you have a personal favorite as well.

So, feel free to share your mentionable mugs, or mug messages!

1- Bloom Where You Are Planted

I’ve heard this saying for years, and recently I found that it is originally credited to Saint Francies de Sales, dating back as far as the 1500’s.

Oftentimes we can find ourselves in situations or circumstances we aren’t particularly fond of, but this saying, even perfectly printed on a coffee mug, serves to remind us that our circumstances provide us with an opportunity for growth.

And, there’s possibly no better outlook on life than one which views each day as an opportunity to grow, bloom, and further become who we’re meant to be in this world.

2- All The Words

Okay, I made up that title. In fact, I’m not sure the mug I’m referencing has a specific title other than it simply being an affirmations mug.

But, if you’ve come across such a vessel, no matter its color or design, I know you (like me) would appreciate, with each sip of its contents, the multiple reminders printed on it.

The mug I’m referencing contains numerous words such as worthy, valuable, loved, and beautiful, all printed in various hues and fonts to cover the entirety of the cup.

So, for me, with each sip, I would contemplate each of those affirmations, essentially combining my morning affirmation time with my morning coffee indulgence, boosting my health through both my brew and such important, positive, thoughts.

3- You Got This

I stumbled across a few mugs like this as I was researching the powerful benefits of positivity, and I immediately fell in love with them.

The mugs I’m referencing are quite clever, highlighting both an optimistic mindset as well as the empowering nature of a good cup of coffee.

These mugs I’m describing don’t have a positive saying written on the outside for you to view as you sip, but instead come with the words “you got this” printed on the inside bottom of the cup.

In other words, you can be reminded before you pour your cup of joe that no matter what comes your way “you’ve got this.” But, such sentiments also reinforce the fact that, after you finish your cup of coffee, what could hold you back from success and happiness, now that you’ve enjoyed your brew?

4- It’s A Good Day To Have A Good Day

I just love that sentiment.

Why?

Because, negativity breeds negativity, and positivity breeds positivity.

And, this is why it’s important to begin each of our days with the right mindset.

Every day is “a good day to have a good day” for each new day is a new opportunity we’ve been given.

I believe it’s important to start each day with the knowledge that this new day is good, and it can be good, no matter what comes my way.

So, pouring a tasty cup of morning sunshine, or coffee as some prefer to call it, into a mug with such a reminder printed on it welcomes positive thoughts and an optimistic outlook with which you can greet the day, the hours, and the minutes you have laid out before you.

5- “Today, I am…”

Did you know we have a customizable Lifeboost affirmations mug?

I couldn’t omit this from our discussion today because my favorite thing about this mug is that you can write a new, positive affirmation on the mug to view as you sip each day (or with each new cup of coffee several times a day).

And actually, that’s not my only favorite thing about this mug.

I also love that the mug is clear, because frankly, I love adding foam toppers to my brew, and the fact that the mug is clear puts my beautiful masterpiece on display. This way I can enjoy the contrasting colors between the light, creamy foam and the dark, rich coffee beneath.

But, back to the purpose of the mug.

We believe in the power of affirmations, and we’ve seen the health benefits we’ve discussed here today in action when incorporating this practice into our daily lives.

So, we created a mug which allows you to incorporate this practice right alongside enjoying your favorite, health-boosting brew.

At the bottom of these mugs, the following words are printed - “Today, I am…” then, after these words, you can fill in your personal affirmation on the provided line.

I’ll leave you with a few of my personal affirmations, ones I have commonly used when enjoying a delicious, piping hot, mug of our light roast (my favorite).

• Today, I am grateful.
• Today, I am content.
• Today, I am strong.
• Today, I am beautiful.
• Today, I am worthy.
• Today, I am joyful.

Medical Disclaimer
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Charles Livingston nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

Check out Lifeboost Coffee Travel Mugs.

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/optimism-and-your-health

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

https://www.tonyrobbins.com/positive-thinking/

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-positive-thinking-2794772

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/if-you-are-happy-and-you-know-it-you-may-live-longer-2019101618020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3935764/#

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/optimism-can-boost-your-immunity-flna1c9449541

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8869756/

https://www.dhs.gov/employee-resources/news/2023/01/18/optimism-and-its-impact-mental-health#

https://www.heartandstroke.ca/articles/how-optimism-benefits-your-health

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/coping/attitudes-and-feelings-about-cancer.html

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/08/positive-emotions-your-health