Finding Silver Linings

Performing this activity 1x per week may be more effective. Pursuing Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable Change Review of General Psychology DOI: 10.1037/1089-2680.9 The second intervention tested a cognitive happiness-increasing activity. Recently, Emmons and McCullough (2003) found that practicing grateful thinking on a regular basis can enhance concurrent well-being. Gratitude promotes the savoring of positive life experiences and situations so that maximum satisfaction and enjoyment are distilled from one’s circumstances. As noted earlier, this practice may directly counteract the effects of hedonic adaptation by helping people extract as much appreciation from the good things in their lives as possible. In addition, the ability to appreciate their life circumstances may also be an adaptive coping strategy by which people positively reinterpret stressful or negative life experiences, bolster coping resources, and strengthen social relationships. Finally, the practice of gratitude appears to be incompatible with negative emotions and thus may reduce feelings of envy, anger, or greed. Thus, in the second 6-week intervention, students were instructed to contemplate “the things for which they are grateful” either once a week or three times a week. Examples of “blessings” listed by students included “a healthy body,” “my mom,” and “AOL instant messenger.” Control participants completed only the happiness assessments. The results again suggested that short-term increases in happiness are possible and, furthermore, that optimal timing is important. In summary, students who regularly expressed gratitude showed increases in well being over the course of the study relative to controls, BUT THESE INCREASES WERE OBSERVED ONLY AMONG STUDENTS WHO PERFORMED THE ACTIVITY JUST ONCE A WEEK. Perhaps counting their blessings several times a week led people to become bored with the practice, finding it less fresh and meaningful over time.

I loved the idea of opening up the exercise with a positive memory or influence. So often we start seen things from a negative perspective and it can make things harder. I used a similar exercise in my workshops. Thanks for sharing it!

Great Idea !!! Focus on some positives rather than the negatives

I have used this activity to critique (not criticize!) myself, and will continue this practice for a week. It's important to me to have more awareness of how easily I let negative thoughts take over my mood. I certainly have a tendency to show my emotions with a "resting bitch face" at times. Not an attractive or happy way to be, and it certainly can cause me to isolate far too much.

I am discovering that "little" things seem to irritate me; however, the "little" irritations that I am dealing with are big things because disrespect, and inconsideration are the bottom line of what and why I feel that way. How do I change feeling that way when I seem to not be able to think differently?

I tend to be the "Pollyanna" in the group and oftentimes get laughed at for my positive attitude. I can only smile and think it is to my benefit that I can be positive while they find new and creative ways to complain and be negative.

This is a simple, yet very effective, exercise for practicing your perspective-taking. I highly recommend it!

Great exercise.

Lo he practicado y me da energia para seguir adelante

It is so easy to focus on the negative of the moment and bypass the smaller things or even the bigger picture. We are dealing with a brutal situation at work. While I can not stop the outcome, I can still feel proud of the ability to identify the problem and anticipate the outcome. It minimally validates my professional role in the situation.

So often I find that I get bogged down with frustrations at work. This exercise is helping me to remember that there are also successes at work.

I'm going to introduce this activity to my children too!

I´m on it!!! <3<3

A defining exercise for me. The research pertaining to the lack of empathy in the US is very evident among teens. Disconnection and fear is increasing, which, I believe social media has played a large part. Communication lacks intonation, thus causing possible misunderstanding within texted messaging. Children's nervous systems are not developed enough to interpret rational emotions when determining the intention of the typed words vs verbal, and thus possibly misinterpreted.

This exercise really helped me look at the bright side of a current frustrating situation. I want to practice it more often. Thank you!

Great happiness tool! Sometimes we cannot see the proof of the silver lining until later in our day-to-day lives.

This helps me get through life and take one day at a time.

I'm HAPPY being a Polyanna - i thought she was great!

This is so simple, but so useful. The only reason I'm not giving it a five star rating is because I want to practice a little and see if it has lasting effects:)

really like how this activity keep me present in the moment

Thank you for reminding us to focus on all the good life has to offer. I'm an AF Chaplain and this exercise will help Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors find light to balance some dark experiences. I found this exercise most beneficial in my own life.

Love this new site!!

What a great reminder of one of the practices taught in Science of Happiness course! It takes only a split second to shift our mind from one state to another so having this tool makes it easier to build a habit of finding positive in any situation.

This was very helpful and I know I'll use it as a therapist. I used it for myself in dealing with frustration over caring for my mother-in-law after my father-in-law's recent death. It really did improve my attitude when I started looking for silver linings. (I actually listed seven!)

I'm going to use this activity in a workshop for at-risk youth who will be starting their first jobs this summer. I think it will be a great practice to have in their tool kit if (when) they encounter a bad day.

More please