Experiments in Positive Psychology
Psychology has been a fascination of mine for as long as I can remember, and so has the idea happiness. So naturally, Flourish by the father of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, has been on my list of books to read for quite a while.
I’m not done listening to the borrowed audiobook, but so far I’ve enjoyed hearing the personal and entertaining accounts of Seligman’s college teaching career and his commitment to the field of positive psychology.
He mentioned a few activities that one could do to increase their happiness levels. We’ve all heard about gratitude journals and changing perspectives, but one in particular seemed easier and more powerful than most, so I’ve decided to give it a try.
It’s called the “What Went Well Exercise.”
The simple directions are: Write down 3 things that went well and why they each went well.
According to Seligman, this daily habit will lead to a happier life just 6 months down the road.
For today I might say:
- I had a really great conversation with my brother-in-law because I’ve made it a point to discover what we have in common.
- I loved reading Aziz Ansari’s new book Modern Romance because my girlfriend suggested it at lunch last week, and she knows I love comedians and anything I can also reference in the communication classroom (a win win!).
- I really enjoyed grading online discussion posts because I needed a pick me up and so much of what my students had to say was inspiring.
Update:
I’ve been doing the activity for 4 weeks now, and I’ve started to look forward to grabbing my journal on my bedside table to scribble a few things down before falling asleep. It has lead to a brighter perspective and a positive outlook each morning!
I encourage you to do one thing each day that will make a significant positive impact on your life.
As always, happy learning and happy living!