Stay Strong and keep a positive outlook

The effectiveness of " counting your blessings" and "using signature strengths" has been independently replicated.


 Be Grateful:

The effect of a grateful outlook on psychological and physical well-being was examined. In Studies 1 and 2, participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 experimental conditions (hassles, gratitude listing, and either neutral life events or social comparison); they then kept weekly (Study 1) or daily (Study 2) records of their moods, coping behaviors, health behaviors, physical symptoms, and overall life appraisals. In a 3rd study, persons with neuromuscular disease were randomly assigned to either the gratitude condition or to a control condition. The gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened well-being across several, though not all, of the outcome measures across the 3 studies, relative to the comparison groups. The effect on positive affect appeared to be the most robust finding. Results suggest that a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.

Source: "Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life." from Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Feb;84(2):377-89.

Know Your Signature Strengths:

People who deliberately exercised their signature strengths -- those qualities they were uniquely best at, the talents that set them apart from others -- on a daily basis became significantly happier for months.

Via The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work:

When 577 volunteers were encouraged to pick one of their signature strengths and use it in a new way each day for a week, they became significantly happier and less depressed than control groups. And these benefits lasted: Even after the experiment was over, their levels of happiness remained heightened a full months later. Studies have shown that the more you use your signature strengths in daily life, the happier you become.

HEY YOU: Before you flit on to the next shiny thing on the internet, pause for a just a second:

What are you uniquely good at? Could you do it more often? When? Make a quick plan to do it daily at a specific time or triggered by a consistent event. After you accomplish it, reward yourself. You're already on your way to a life-changing good habit.


LINK:  http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-be-yourself-really-make-you-happier