There is a viral comic that has been going around Facebook and other sites on the internet for years. It shows two men sitting on different sides of a bus. One man stares sadly out the window at the gray rocky wall the bus is driving by. On the other side of the bus, the second man is smiling and looking out at a pretty view. The message is that your perception of a situation changes depending on what you focus on and the context you have.
While mindfulness isn’t for everyone, there is a mindfulness exercise that can help boost mood called “Three Good Things.” Before going to bed, a person thinks of three good things that happened during the day, writes them down and reflects on the series of situations that made the good thing happen. For instance, if a person got to work early with time to spare so they stopped at a coffee shop, they might think about how the good weather made traffic flow easily and prevented car accidents, leading to them getting a nice morning treat. It puts a “why” into the day and gives small things more meaning.
From a biological point of view, we are programmed to notice bad things before the good. It helps us avoid dangerous or distressing situations. But that tendency to see the negative can stop us from seeing how many positive things happen every day and cause depression and general exhaustion. By actively examining the good in your day, you can retain your brain.
Studies have found that after just one week of actively paying attention to good things, people feel increased levels of happiness and are more readily able to see positive things. If people followed the Three Good Things exercise for four weeks, they had decreased symptoms of depression compared to a control group. A study using young doctors found they had less burnout, less depression, better work-life balance, slept better, did better at their job and were happier.
If you have tried meditation and found it isn’t for you, that’s okay. If journaling has been too onerous, that’s fine. This is a simple daily list that will take just a few minutes a day. It’s an easy practice to help you gently retain yourself to help you see the bright side of life. Even on darker days, there is always a silver lining!
