Gratitude & The how of happiness
the how of happiness
A pen and a journal.
Two simple tools are all you need to begin your practice of keeping a gratitude list to boost your mood.
The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky is a book I love and often recommend. This researcher poured over tons of studies on what factors are scientifically proven to boost levels of happiness. She then whittled these results down to 12 activities/mindsets that boost happiness. From there, you can take a quiz in her book to identify which 4 factors are your personal top 4 out of the 12. This way you can find your natural fits; the 4 ways you can naturally and easily can boost your mood. From there she explores all 12 in detail offering great ideas for practicing these 12 ways, but of course you can focus on your top 4. Sounds great doesn’t it? No easy task; thank you Dr. Lyubomirsky for doing all this work for us!
how do you practice gratitude?
A cup of coffee and macaroons.
Are you looking for the little pleasures in life as a way to practice gratitude? Give it a try!
I love this book for what it offers and for the fact it is based on psychological research, so we can trust the recommendations. One of the 12 factors is practicing gratitude. Now, this may or may not be one of your top 4, but it is a popular activity; for those out there who are familiar with 12 step programming, you know all about this strategy. Sometimes I recommend to people to make a gratitude list. I’ve had some people melt with despair at the thought of even writing 10 things to be grateful for; little do they know they’re getting off easy with 10—I’ve personally been tasked with 50 or 100 items, daily! This can be a great exercise especially in the midst of tough times. When times are challenging, it can be hard to remember things that went well. Also in the How of Happiness is a chapter dedicated to those struggling with depression. Practicing gratitude helps us in trying to shift to a more balanced mindset as depression or just having a bad day can exaggerate the negative (also feel free to check out my blog on managing depression). In making a list, we are taking an action towards focusing on what’s right when it seems like everything is going wrong. Gratitude can be as simple as acknowledging sunshine, sandwiches, Netflix, and a roof over head. Think about the fact that there are people in the world who only have 1 out of those 4; this may be more reason for those of us who have 4/4 to be grateful.
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Practicing gratitude can be an effective tool. If you’re feeling like you’re needing more support and are tired of struggling with a negative mindset, stop struggling and take an action towards change today! AROSE eTherapy® offers a Free 15-minute consult. If you would like to proceed to services after your consult, we’ll book you our next available initial appointment, and you’ll be on your way to healing!
about the author
Alicia Rozycki, PhD
Dr. Rozycki is a licensed psychologist and the founder of AROSE eTherapy®, an online therapy practice serving professional women and military affiliates including active duty, veterans, spouses, and government employees. Virtual sessions are available in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Learn more about Dr. Rozycki.
