Frequency | Repeated | Repetition Duration | Duration | Modality | Video/Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Daily | Yes | 1 Week | 10 Minutes |
Three Good Things
People write down three things that went well and why they went well each night daily for a week. (brief summary of the How to Do it content on ggia)
Reasoning
By giving people the space to focus on the positive, this practice encourages people to notice, remember, and reflect upon the details associated with goodness in life. It prompts people to pay closer attention to positive events which may lead to engaging in them more fully—both in the moment and later on. Reflecting on the circumstances tied to good events may help people appreciate the many sources of goodness in life, which can increase the availability and salience of information linked to positive feelings in day-to-day awareness.
Procedure
Each day for at least one week, participants will write down three things that went well for them that day, and provide an explanation for why they went well. These events can be small, everyday events or more important milestones. For each of the three things, participants would follow the following steps: 1. Give the event a title (e.g., “I received a compliment on something I've been working hard on”).Write down exactly what happened in as much detail as possible, including where they were, what they did or said, and, whether other people were involved, including what they did or said.Write about how this event made them feel at the time as well as how thinking about this event makes them feel now. Explain what they think the causes of this event were—why it happened, and what they gained from it..
Primary Citation & Study Summary:
Seligman, M. E., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410.
Visitors to a website received instructions for performing Three Good Things. They showed increased happiness immediately afterward, as well as one week, one month, three months, and six months later.
More Evidence
Bahník, Š., Vranka, M., & Dlouhá, J. (2015). X good things in life: Processing fluency effects in the “Three good things in life” exercise. Journal of Research in Personality, 55, 91–97.
Baumsteiger, R., Mangan, S, Bronk, K.C. & Bono, G. (2019). An integrative intervention for cultivating gratitude among adolescents and young adults. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 14(6), 807–819.