In all honesty, I would consider myself to be a fairly negative person. I make snide remarks in class and I’m pretty easily irritated by people or minor inconveniences. This is something that I recognize about myself and that I know can make me a less than appealing person to hang out with. So, when I received a small journal for Christmas, I knew what my New Year’s resolution would be.
Image via Thought Catalog/Unsplash
Starting on January 1st, I have been keeping a happiness journal. Every night, before I go to sleep, I write down one or two things that made me happy that day. It’s a great way to reflect on everything that happened and to gain a better understanding of my emotional reactions. Sometimes it was a really good day, and choosing what to write reminds me how lucky I am. Other days are harder, and something to write doesn’t immediately come to my mind. These are the days that the journal is most valuable. Being forced to name one single thing that made me happy can reframe the entire day, allowing me to focus on the good things instead of the bad.
I’ve tried to keep multiple journals over multiple periods of time in my life, with little success. This method of journaling doesn’t require a whole lot of time or chronicling everything that happens and my exact reaction. It’s a more personal and mental contemplation, allowing me to organize my thoughts without necessarily writing them down. As silly as it may seem, putting the pen to paper makes my thoughts more vulnerable and increases the potential for someone else seeing them. The happiness journal leaves the deeper thoughts to me, recording only the positives.
At the end of the year, I’m excited to look back and see my year in review. The irritation I felt last week when someone cut me off or when the store didn’t have the ice cream I wanted is not a feeling I need to cherish and remember. Rather, I can be reminded of how happy I was spending time with my friends or when I found a dollar in my pocket. I’m choosing the experiences I want to hold onto, and that’s already improving my life. While things are happening to me, I’m thinking about what I’m going to write in my journal that night, and that’s helped me to reframe events I might have previously given little thought to. I’m aware that time spent in the library is something I should enjoy while it lasts, and that getting an extra cookie is something to appreciate.
This approach may not work for everyone, but for me, it’s been highly beneficial. If you don’t want to write down your thoughts, just taking five minutes before you go to sleep could be equally effective. Make the choice to remember the good, and move on from the bad.