One step to stress relief -- too good to be true? Maybe not. According to some experts optimism, if applied to one's life correctly, can help with everything from boosting your immune system, to making better decisions, to improving heart health.

Of course there are arguments for and against using optimism as a coping mechanism for health and stress related issues, but there is one thing that people on both sides agree on: being an optimist certainly never hurts. And there are several very specific studies out there related to how optimism affects different health conditions, and for things like pregnancy, heart conditions, and battling other illnesses there have been documented positive physical results related to positive thinking.

So if you already consider yourself an optimist, great! If not, maybe you should look at changing your perspective?