The pursuit of happiness

My spouse mentioned that he read this article the other day and has been practicing what it recommends for several days. He says he really does feel happier. Briefly, these researchers say that participants who, every night, thought of 3 good things that happened that day felt measurably happier. I thought I'd share the article and give it a shot myself. Maybe we can all share a happier holiday season!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061126/ap_on_he_me/be_happy

Link

Thu. Nov 30, 6:57pm

I read that and I do agree with much of it. Sort of along the same line of reasoning - I had a boss who asked us to list our weekly accomplishments every friday (no matter how small), and I remember how many things I used to be able to write down once I got started and how satisfied and productive I felt afterwards. Those good feelings really kept me going when things got tough.

Thursday, November 30, 2006, 8:38 PM

i like this idea!

i should start tracking those things in my log! that would be a nice list to go back and look at!

Thursday, November 30, 2006, 10:12 PM

i like it too. thanks op.

Friday, December 1, 2006, 1:58 PM

i'm going to start right now! i love this idea!

Friday, December 1, 2006, 9:34 PM

oooooo - I really like the idea of adding the 3 happy things to my food log. Thanks!

Saturday, December 2, 2006, 8:01 AM

What you think about expands, this is an awesome idea

I love this idea of recalling three happy things everyday. There is a famous tape by Earl Nightingale that explains that "everything we think about expands." By dwelling on our successes and the things we are grateful for, we actually welcome more happy experiences into our life. Nightingale Contant, an audio publisher, still sells the audiotapes if anyone is interested in checking it out. So now we now there is truly scientific reasons to "accentuate the postive and eliminate the negative." So let's all start logging our happy memories in our food logs -- it is a powerful idea.

Sunday, December 3, 2006, 5:07 PM

I've done this off and on for years. You women who have been happily pregnant know how wherever you go there are suddenly so many more pregnant women? Well, keeping a gratitude or happiness journal is like that--as you begin to reflect on the beautiful things, however small, you begin to see more of them.

I don't do it all the time, but I know that the minute I start feeling blue, down, or frustrated, it's time to start it up again listing five things I was grateful for that day. I keep a pen-and-paper journal and I just start listing things in there. Yesterday's would look like this:

1) how beautiful the painting came out on the last of my sister's Christmas-gift plates
2) winning a big hobby-shop-type RC car from the open house of the physical therapist where I've been going!
3) Anna's saying "My FAVORITE!" with a big smile when I told her what we were having for dinner
4) a walk in the dark in white snow with Anna, Mags, and Reggie
5) Seeing B., a freshman, volunteer to help S., a senior, with his very complex math homework (Koch's snowflakes, anyone?) and S. letting him.

Thursday, December 7, 2006, 10:17 AM

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