Even though this article came out last year, it's still worth the read

Woody Allen once said, "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work...I want to achieve it through not dying." Much to humanity's collective dismay, there is no way to defy death. But you can try.

Many people think they know what's good for them. Who wouldn't like to think that being rich, sleeping with supermodels and eating caviar every day would increase their longevity. After all, Hugh Hefner looks pretty good for a man of 78. But this is more wishful thinking than practical science.

If you really want to live longer, then you can start with your attitude. Your way of thinking can not only impact the quality of your life, but also how long you actually live. In 2002, researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that optimistic people decreased their risk of early death by 50 percent compared with those who leaned more towards pessimism.