Three Good Things
Aug 8th, 2007 by Angela
Sometimes one week seems to fly into the next without us seeming to notice. Once a week I do a hydrotherapy session with a friend. Apart from exercising our bodies, we also exercise our tongues, of course. This week it struck me how quickly the last week had passed. In fact, I had to think back quite hard to recall what I had done in that week. I eventually succeeded, but it made me think how easily our lives can slip by, seemingly without us even noticing.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of hearing Dr Martin Seligman speak . He is a Professor of Psychiatry at Penn State University. After some thirty years of practice, in which he had to deal with a lot of the trauma and devastation that goes on in people’s lives, he began to think of how putting a positive spin on life might make a difference in the lives of his clients. It did make a difference! Although he had numerous strategies, one that struck both my husband and me, was the simple strategy of thinking about ‘three good things’ that happened today (or this week).
Those three things do not have to be really earth shattering, or profound. For instance, seeing a beautiful flower and noticing its fragrance or colour, could be one good thing. Receiving a phone call from a friend might be another, and of course, winning a sum of money in a lottery would definitely be in there!
Now we often ask each other about the ‘three good things’ for the day. That way we often come up with six things! When I feel down, I try to think about the three good things, and it is amazing how quickly it seems to help. I guess it ties in with the idea of practising an ‘attitude of gratitude’.
What three good things are you thankful for today? Challenge yourself to jot your items down on a calendar for a week and see what a difference it makes. Your life will suddenly seem to be more meaningful and you will be more positive. Have fun trying this out for yourself. Let me know how you go.
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