Three Good Things - How to be Happier

http://www.3goodthings.co.uk
3 Good Things

This simple exercise only takes one week, you only need to spend 5-10 minutes each night on it and research by positive psychologists show it continues to increase your happiness and even reduce depressive symptoms over the following six months.

Why does happiness matter?

Happiness is not just about feeling good, It has great other benefits too. Positive emotions enhances your health and happier people tend to be more successful too.

The Challenge:

Step 1: Find three things that went well for you during the day.
It can be anything, from speaking to a friend on facebook, having a nice lunch or it just being a nice sunny day.

Step 2: Write them down.
In a diary, scrap piece of paper,on the computer, on your blog, anywhere! it can be private or public.

Step 3: Reflect on your role.
It can be as elaborate or simple as you like. Perhaps your role was simply choosing what you wanted for lunch, or noticing that it was a nice day.

I know this seems almost too simple, but this has been tested and empirically validated. It really is this easy.


Scientific Evidence Research shows that Participants in the Three good things exercise began to show beneficial effects one month following the post test. At the one-month follow-up, participants in this exercise were happier and less depressed than they had been at baseline, And they stayed happier and less depressed at the three-month and six-month follow-ups (Seligman, M.E. P., Steen, T., Park, N., Peterson, P (2005))

Tip 1: This one week challenge is not about going out and doing more good things in your day, its just about reflecting on what things went well each day and what your role was, However, doing random acts of kindness has been shown to increase well being too (Lyubomirsky, S. (2008))
Tip 2:Its only necessary to do this for one week, Recent research suggests that doing this any longer actually has a negative impact. (Sheldon, K. M., & Lyobomirsky, S. (2004))
Most importantly help spread the word and share the happiness!

Ben Huss is a stress management consultant based in London, UK

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Ben Huss
• Happiness
• Happy
• Tapping
• Positive
• Positive Psychology
• How to be happy
• 3 good things
• three good things
• 3 good things challenge
• how to be positive
• seligman
• ben shahar
• gratitude
• gratitude diary

[shorfan]

it's actually works :) now i'm happy =)

[aqasenior]

you look happy:)

and i am glad if you are.

[lordgeneral9]

Thank you I will try it.

[DinMoriel]

amazing technique, i love using it because it makes me flashback to my good times and it also makes me go to sleep happier :) I love you Benjamine Huskyness

[juliebgood]

Definitely working :) I find myself slowing down a lot more and noticing little things, and how delightful they are. It's wonderful not needing much to make one happy!

Question, though - why only week, and where are you getting this? I've been following the 3 weeks recommended by Marty Seigelman as part of his positive psychology program.

[farsideoftheocean]

I watched your vid three nights ago and started the process straight away. Today i felt the effects of it. it was interesting though because around 4pm i was standing in the university libary (sunshine coast) and i thought to myself ' wait a second! nothing has gone well for me so far today'. so right there and then i decided to go and find something that would go well for me so i can write down something good tonight rather than something daft. so i jumped on mobile phone and started ringing

[farsideoftheocean]

great video. thanks for posting. i can feel the effect three days after watching your vid.

[X1XBatManX1X]

well I just started today I will let you know next Tuesday mate.