Did you know that how you look at life and its challenges can make a big difference to your long term health and happiness? It’s definitely not about having rose colored glasses, and ignoring your distress or problems. It is about developing a balanced way of thinking-noticing what’s good in life and reminding yourself of your strengths when you hit rough patches. Sometimes it helps to think about how you’d respond to a good friend and work on becoming your own best friend when you talk to yourself. Evidence shows that practicing gratitude and noticing your own strengths are key for long term wellness.
Here are some ideas:
- Create a list of what you feel most grateful for and check in on it several times a week
- Learn more about your strengths: take the Character Strengths Quiz by Dr. Martin Seligman
- Learn about positive thinking exercises and try out a few each week at https://happify.com.
- Check out self-compassion exercises for difficult times and to help destress with Dr. Kristin Neff at http://self-compassion.org/.
Set a S.M.A.R.T. Goal!
Remember the more specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-limited your goal is, the more likely you are to succeed! If you want more help with setting a S.M.A.R.T goal, click here.