Whether you struggle with depression or are just feeling down, there is a simple way you can begin to feel a change in your mood. Dr. Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive Psychology, conducted a study where participants recorded three good things that happened each day. More specifically, they were instructed to: “Write down three things that went well each day and their causes every night for one week. In addition, provide a causal explanation for each good thing.” Some of those small things could be receiving a call from a friend, reading a favorite book or seeing a funny video online. Incredibly, Dr. Seligman found that after only 15 days of recording the three good things, 94% of the participants experienced some relief from depression symptoms. After six months, the participants’ level of happiness had increased by 10%

Why do you think recording good things increases happiness? Here are a few hypotheses to consider. We often find and notice what we are looking for. If you know you are going to record three good things at the end of the day, it is likely you will be looking for and finding more good in your life than you were before. It is possible that looking for the good will also create more of a sense of gratitude. Many people believe that those who are grateful are happier and think less negatively. Recording and paying attention to the good in one’s life is likely to cause a positive feedback loop, which basically means you are creating a positive ripple effect. Your small effort to record three good things will create positive changes beyond your original action. You may become more patient with your kids and they will in turn become better behaved or you might have a more positive attitude at work which could cause your boss to give you more positive feedback. Imagine the possibilities that could come from the simple act of recording three good things each day! I’m going to give this experiment a try. Will you take the challenge with me?