Gratitude
•Goal: to enhance the positive emotion of gratitude
•Technique: Each day, for at least one week, write down three things that you are grateful for.
-give the event a title
-describe in as much detail as possible
-write down how you felt
-write down what made it happen
•Evidence: Visitors to a website received instructions for performing this exercise. Writing about three good things was associated with increased happiness immediately afterward, as well as one week, one month, three months, and six months later. Seligman, M. E., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. Positive Psychology Progress: empirical validation of interventions .American Psychologist. 60(5), 410.
•Suggestions for use: use this daily. This can be used in a group as well. Can select one day out of the week to write or say what you are grateful for in your work.
•Barriers and how to overcome them: This is a habit. Keep a notebook by your bed, or on the kitchen table.