“There are a thousand reasons to live this life, everyone of them sufficient.”
Regular readers of Tuesday Tactics know that the newsletter tends to be one of those places where I try to gather up some of the most promising and interesting things my team has come across lately and share them with you in the spirit of improving your life. Whether they’re tech tips or little life hacks for happiness, I’m always interested in the simple things which can have a big impact.
Recently I came across this excellent advice from Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman in his book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being:
“Every night for the next week, set aside ten minutes before you go to sleep. Write down three things that went well today and why they went well.”
(Don’t do this on your smartphone. After all, staring into that bright blue-shifted light before you go to bed is more likely to distract you and keep you up. Instead, put a little notebook there and something to write with.)
Sound hokey? Give it a chance. Seligman goes on:
“Writing about why the positive events in your life happened may seem awkward at first, but please stick with it for one week. It will get easier. The odds are that you will be less depressed, happier, and addicted to this exercise six months from now.”
(Seligman knows a thing or two about these kinds of exercises, as he’s studied them scientifically for years.)
It’s an interesting exercise. With your bedtime journal in mind, you tend to keep your eyes open all day long. I’d challenge you to give it a go for a week and see how you feel.
Mindful moments matter most.
