Two Academy Award nominated films, Silver Linings Playbook, and Life of Pi, resonated with so many millions of people because their themes of resilience speak to each of us — and are grounded in a growing body of scientific research.

Far from being delusional or faith-based, having a positive outlook in difficult circumstances is the most important predictor of resilience — how quickly you will recover from adversity.

For starters, having a positive mood makes people more resilient physically, according to a study by Barbara Fredrickson, a psychological researcher at the University of North Carolina.

Positive emotions can, she concluded, undo the effects of a stressful negative experience.

(READ the feature article in the Atlantic)