Elliott, Science tells us that optimism is actually a component of our deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). You can look back to your ancestors and see the imprints of optimism. About half of your optimism comes from your DNA and half comes from your environment. But if you weren’t born with optimistic DNA or didn’t receive doses of it in your environment as you were growing up, it is not too late. You can learn how to become optimistic.