Journaling
Three Things That Went Well Today
Journaling is often therapeutic in itself. One method that has been shown to improve people’s mood over time is to write down three things that went well in your day today before you go to bed-and do this every night. When you wake up, review what you wrote down the previous night and do this every day for at least a month. These do not have to be life-changing events, but simple moments in your day that went well. Here is an example:
January 1, 2016
- The cashier at Safeway told me I had a nice smile.
- My friend David came over today and we played music together.
- I got an unexpected rebate check in the mail from my insurance company.
One of the three items could be as simple as a stranger smiling to you on the street. When people are depressed, they block out these kinds of events and don’t remember them. Just by acknowledging three things every day will improve your mood over time. Try it for a month, and see if you notice a difference. If you like it, it can become a lifetime practice.