jotitdownTrain your brain to look for positives in your environment.

Just as it takes practice to master a new skill, training your brain to notice positive things takes practice. The best way to kick-start this is to write down three good things that happen each day. The items don’t need to be profound or out of the ordinary, only specific. This forces your brain to scan the last 24 hours for potential positives.

In just five minutes a day, the brain can become more skilled at finding possibilities for growth and seizing opportunities to act on them. Because we can focus only on so much at once, our brains push small annoyances and frustrations into the background.

This exercise has staying power. One study found participants were happier at the one-month, three-month and six-month follow-ups.

What made you happy today?

Article by Shawn Achor; October 14, 2016