Welcome to positive psychology, or THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS.
You can observe, record, document, and measure the happiness in your life. But more importantly, you can generate it. How? With Thanksgiving!
Instruments of Happiness: Gratitude and Thankfulness
This year, as you sit before your steaming turkey (or tofurkey, as the case may be), take a moment to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Friends? Family? Eggnog? Don’t stop there. While this particular feast may come but once a year, expand your gratitude. Make it a daily habit.
According to the “Research Project on Gratitude and Thanksgiving”, conducted by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough in 2003, people who keep daily gratitude journals are more likely to realize goals, experience health and wellness, and feel optimistic about life.
Find a journal you like. Blank pages, lined pages, spiral binding… whatever suits your fancy. Every night, before you hit the sack, write down three things that you are thankful for that day. Whether it is a hug, a meal, a completed task, an idea, something nice somebody said…make the little things count!
It is said that the written word is immortal. Putting your gratitude into black and white before you go to sleep at night will have a profound impact on your waking world!
In the event of A Bad Day, pick up your gratitude journal and read it. Your own words will go a long way toward setting you back the happy track. Never underestimate the power of gratitude!
You can observe, record, document, and measure the happiness in your life. But more importantly, you can generate it. How? With Thanksgiving!
Instruments of Happiness: Gratitude and Thankfulness
This year, as you sit before your steaming turkey (or tofurkey, as the case may be), take a moment to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Friends? Family? Eggnog? Don’t stop there. While this particular feast may come but once a year, expand your gratitude. Make it a daily habit.
According to the “Research Project on Gratitude and Thanksgiving”, conducted by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough in 2003, people who keep daily gratitude journals are more likely to realize goals, experience health and wellness, and feel optimistic about life.
Find a journal you like. Blank pages, lined pages, spiral binding… whatever suits your fancy. Every night, before you hit the sack, write down three things that you are thankful for that day. Whether it is a hug, a meal, a completed task, an idea, something nice somebody said…make the little things count!
It is said that the written word is immortal. Putting your gratitude into black and white before you go to sleep at night will have a profound impact on your waking world!
In the event of A Bad Day, pick up your gratitude journal and read it. Your own words will go a long way toward setting you back the happy track. Never underestimate the power of gratitude!
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