Breaking Murphy's Law: How Optimists Get What They Want from Life - and Pessimists Can Too by Suzanne C. Segerstrom

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Synopsis

According to psychologist Suzanne Segerstrom, rose-colored glasses may look silly, but they're actually quite practical. In Breaking Murphy's Law, she surveys the scientific data on optimism (including her own award-winning research) to reveal that it's not what you believe about the future that matters, but what you do about it. While pessimists debate whether their goals are attainable, optimists are out there trying to achieve them. Without insisting that readers learn to "think positive," Breaking Murphy's Law teaches them practical ways to appropriate the habits and skills that optimists use to get what they want from life. Segerstrom--who reluctantly admits her research on the topic has transformed her into an optimist--imparts the lesson with a mix of humor and intelligence that will convince even the most cynical readers that a brighter tomorrow might be just around the corner.

Biography

Suzanne C. Segerstrom, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. She has conducted extensive research on the relationship between optimism and well-being. Dr. Segerstrom's work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Norman Cousins Program, and the Dana Foundation. She is also a winner of the prestigious Templeton Positive Psychology Prize, awarded in recognition of her work on optimism. She lives near Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and their dogs.