London Hypnotherapy|CBT|NLP Coaching

How can you implement some of the postive psychology findings in your own life?

Three Gifts or Three Good Things

This is probably one of the most powerful positive psychology techniques, different variants of this exercise have been investigated by several researchers, always with substantial results. It has been found to lastingly increase happiness and decrease depressive symptoms for up to six months. This, by the way does not mean that after 6 months the effects had worn off, but simply that the participants were not followed beyond this points.

Simple instructions are very straightforward and easy to understand. Every night for one week, reflect over you day before you go to bed at night, and find three things that went well for you during the day. Write them down and reflect on your role in them. Writing down is important, as it helps you to focus on the events, reflecting upon your own role is equally important, as it contributes to your sense of percieved control that, in turn, has an impact on your well being. Your role in some of these events may not always appear obvious to you, if the weather was warm and sunny today, what did you have to do with it?  Well you noticed it did you not?  You need to do this at least a week, although 3 weeks seems the optimum. Studies have shown that the well being of those would carried it out over a 6 week period actually decreased slightly, which suggest that there is such a thing as too much.

This finding co-exsists with the fact that people continue counting their blessings occasionally after the intervention week demonstrate the best outcomes.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I frequently set my clients tasks. The Three Gifts is a very useful task for those client who feel fed up with life, or suffer with depression or stress. Go try it out for yourself!