Is your glass half empty or half full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking can affect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're an optimist or a pessimist—and it can affect your health, too.

In fact, some studies suggest that personality traits such as optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that usually comes with optimism is an important part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you're a pessimist, don't get discouraged - you can learn positive thinking skills.

Gaurav Yadav