“Three Good Things”

 

Hi! I am Kay, an intern who often works at The Hayakawa Kokoro Clinic Issha when I am in Japan.

I am currently living in England as a psychology student.

In my blog posts, I want to share some things I have noticed in my daily life and how I take care of my mind.

During the first year of Corona, all of my university classes were online.

At first, it was easy, as it saved me the time and trouble of commuting to school, and of course, I was able to avoid viral infections. But as the weeks went by, I remember thinking, “I can’t take it anymore.”

At the time, the British government’s measures meant that I could not see anyone other than the people with whom I lived. So as a single person living alone, the only time I could interact and talk to people was when I was paying the bill at the supermarket or pharmacy.

It was very tough for me to be in such a situation.

Inspired by this experience, in my first blog post, I would like to share some tips on coping with stress that you can use in various situations.

Today’s topic: “Three Good Things”

I recently discovered a method that I have seen in many articles in English called “Three Good Things.”

Specifically, it is a technique of writing down three good things that happened that day and how you contributed to each. It sounds surprisingly simple and doesn’t take much time, but various studies have shown that it is highly effective.

The Effectiveness of “Three Good Things”

Three months after practicing the Three Good Things for one week, I could tell that my level of happiness had increased. The effectiveness was significantly noticeable after just three months! [1]

I also discovered that even doing it once a week had the same effect of increasing happiness. [2]

Who is it recommended for?

It’s ideal for those who strain their minds and bodies daily and don’t have much time or energy. Fifteen minutes is all it takes to bring happiness to your future self. [3]

The effectiveness itself depends on whether you find this coping method effective. [4] So it may be necessary to be open-minded and try it with a “let’s try it once” attitude.

Results

I tried Three Good Things for a week last summer. It seemed to significantly increase the number of times I noticed feelings of happiness in my daily life.

Even six months later, I still try to switch to a more positive attitude by thinking about three good things without writing them down each time.

Finally

Of course, there are times when changing your mindset does not help you stay positive, so at that time, get through the tough times with the support of others and the help of medications that are right for you.

Literature

[1] Gander, F., Proyer, R., Ruch, W., & Wyss, T. (2013). Strength-Based Positive Interventions: Further Evidence for Their Potential in Enhancing Well-Being and Alleviating Depression. Happiness Studies, 14(4), 1241-1259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9380-0

[2] Chancellor, J., Layous, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2014). Recalling Positive Events at Work Makes Employees Feel Happier, Move More, but Interact Less: A 6-Week Randomized Controlled Intervention at a Japanese Workplace. Journal Of Happiness Studies, 16(4), 871-887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9538-z

[3] Lyubomirsky, S., Dickerhoof, R., Boehm, J., & Sheldon, K. (2011). Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being. Emotion, 11(2), 391-402. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022575

[4] Proyer, R., Wellenzohn, S., Gander, F., & Ruch, W. (2014). Toward a Better Understanding of What Makes Positive Psychology Interventions Work: Predicting Happiness and Depression From the Person × Intervention Fit in a Follow-Up after 3.5 Years. Applied Psychology: Health And Well-Being, 7(1), 108-128. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12039

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