Transform Your Life in 5 Minutes with "3 Good Things"
Had a stressful day? Having a stressful day? Had a string of stressful days?
Regardless of the source of your stress, it can be hard to climb out of the funk when your stress is ongoing. You try it all: taking regular walks, gratitude journaling, reciting affirmations, speaking with a friend, exercising.
You feel better for a little while, but then you slip back under. The stress of work or of parenting — whatever it is — feels inescapable.
Well, a team of psychologists might have a solution for you.
Three Good Things
The researchers conducted an experiment to study the impact of the Three Good Things intervention on the lives of a group of working professionals.
They asked the participants, all employees of outpatient clinics (so, nurses, assistants, receptionists, and so on), to complete an online survey at the end of the workday.
The survey prompted them to take between 5 and 10 minutes to IDENTIFY any events from that day (work-related or personal) that had gone really well. They were also prompted to EXPLAIN why those events had gone so well.
“The responses,” the researchers report, “ranged from reports of coworkers’ bringing in delicious food, to the mere fact that it was Friday, to thoughtful stories about interactions with coworkers or patients that made people feel good about themselves.”
The Stress-Busting Impact of Three Good Things
Amazingly, within just 3 weeks, participants reported reduced stress levels and physical discomforts such as headaches and muscle tension. They were also better able to leave the stresses of work behind them when they left to go home for the evening.
In addition to decreasing stress and pain, Three Good Things has the potential to enhance creativity and innovation. How? Because creativity and innovation as well other manifestations of growth and development are boosted by positive emotions.
And remember that cycle of stress that you can’t seem to get out of? Well, by regularly practicing Three Good Things, you might start to see your sleep improve, which, as we know, improves mood. By waking up the next day feeling good and alert, you set yourself up for more positive things happening that day.
The researchers also noted that Three Good Things creates a positive feedback loop. People who reflect on the positive moments from their day are more apt to share them with the people they see when they return home, such as family members, partners, or roommates.
This in turns reinforces and enhances socials bonds, leading to even further stress reduction. (For more on social bonds, check out my blog post on how you may be practicing gratitude all wrong.)
Shift Your Perspective, Shift Your Mood
The evidence is clear: writing down Three Good Things shifts how you perceive your day, positively impacting your outlook.
Yes, the study was focused on the workday and on participants’ work lives. But there is no evidence to suggest that this wouldn’t work for those whose lives are stressful for other reasons. In fact, I can imagine how Three Good Things could bring so much light to all of our worlds, regardless of who we are or what we do.
(Also: Three Good Things has already been shown to improve the moods of people with mild depression. The researchers of the above-discussed study wanted to observe, instead, how it might affect “healthy” workers.)
A Much More Powerful Alternative to "Think Positive!"
One reason I think Three Good Things is super effective and powerful is because it rolls its eyes at the advice to “think positive!”
Don’t you just hate it when someone tells you: “Try to stay positive!” or “Smile, you’ll feel better!” Yuck, go away.
It just doesn’t help! I can’t just flick a switch and say: "OK, I’m up against 2 deadlines and my baby has the flu. But sure, I’ll just think positive and it’ll all that tension will just melt away."
Three Good Things doesn’t instruct you to "think positive."
No, it helps you push past your stress, negativity, and ruminating thoughts by leading your focus in a different direction.
It says, Hey, let’s talk about some happy yummy silly endearing funny affirming moments from the past 24 hours.
And just like that, your mindset starts to shift.
