Three Good Things to Change Your Life
Three Good Things to Change Your Life
This simple habit could change your life in a few minutes each day.
Can it be that simple? Positive Psychology research shows it can*. These exciting findings help you succeed with your goals and flourish in your life and career with practical tools and exercises.
One of the examples is this simple Three Good Things exercise. Just try this out for a few minutes each night for a week. If you like it, by all means, continue!
Three Good Things Exercise
There are only two easy steps to this exercise:
- Every day, before you go to bed, write down (or reflect on) 3 good things that happened that day
- For each of these things, reflect on what you did to make that happen
The most important part of this exercise comes from reflecting on what you did to make each good thing happen. People are often unaware of their own role in positive events and underestimate their own positive impact.
Step 1:
Think about anything good that happened to you today. It can be anything at all that seems positive to you. It need not be anything big or important. For example, you might recall the fact that you enjoyed the oatmeal you had for breakfast. On the other hand, you might also recall that you got a good grade on a test, or you had uninterrupted sleep. Anything from the most simple to the most exalted works, as long as it seems to you like a good, positive, happy thing. Write down or recall three positive things.
Step 2:
Reflect on why each good thing happened. Determining the “why” of the event is the most important part of the exercise. For example, you might say that your oatmeal tasted really good this morning because your partner took the time to go shopping at the local farmer’s market, where they have fresh, organic oatmeal. Or you might say that your child took its first step today because God was pouring blessings down upon your family, or because it really wanted to get to some cookies on the table. You get to decide reasons for each event that make sense to you.
This exercise can increase a sense of peace, promote confidence and enable you to acknowledge yourself, while recognizing strengths and capacities that you may otherwise have overlooked.
Example:
Good Thing #1:
- I had a fulfilling day at work and my sessions with patients went well.
- Why this happened/My contribution: I made sure I got plenty of sleep last night, and I tried to be very present and attuned in my sessions.
Good Thing #2:
- My partner cooked my favorite dinner, spaghetti and meatballs.
- Why this happened/My contribution: I expressed gratitude and thanked him the last time he cooked.
Good Thing #3:
- It was a beautiful and sunny day when I was driving to work.
- Why this happened/My contribution:I took the time to notice and appreciate rather than being stuck on “autopilot” as I drove.
As your coach I can offer you variations on this exercise and a combination of other coaching tools & questions to customize it for you so you’ll get even more positive benefits. Feel free to contact me for an introduction session or have a look at my Ease & Abundance for Life coaching program.
*This Positive Psychology technique has been well tested and shown to increase well-being (and has also been shown to decrease depression and anxiety). According to a study conducted by the Father of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman, with 411 subjects, 92% became happier in 15 days. In addition, the positive effects of the exercise lasted for 6 months or longer.
