Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? If you tend to lean negative sometimes, you're not alone. The good news is, optimism is something you can actually improve upon.     According to a behavioral scientist and psychologist, here are three easy science-backed ways to build a more positive mindset:     1. Make a "ta-da list." At the end of your day, write down everything you got done. Not just the big stuff. Things like finishing laundry, or even drinking enough water. The goal is to remind yourself that you did a lot. That builds confidence.     [...]

A viral post is being shared that says humans need four hugs a day to avoid anxiety and depression.     But American author, Virginia Satir, thinks we need even more than that. She once said, "We need four hugs a day for survival.  We need eight hugs a day for maintenance.  [And] we need 12 hugs a day for growth."     Turns out a hug does a lot more than make you feel loved.  Scientists say that hugging can help lower cortisol, which is the body's main stress hormone.  It can even calm your heart rate and reduce blood pressure, [...]

It's been exactly six weeks since Groundhog Day, and some areas of the country are DEFINITELY in spring mode, while others are still stuck in winter.  But maybe those still-cold states are luckier in other ways.     For St. Patrick's Day, a new report ranked every state by how lucky they are . . . and the data included a LOT of things.     It considered "pure luck," so stuff like lottery wins, lightning strikes, and Irish population percentage . . . "financial luck," cost of living and affordability . . . and "lifestyle and safety luck," natural disasters, [...]