The small exercise that’s a powerful mood booster

Counting our blessings is an age-old piece of advice – but it turns out that writing lists of good things that happen to us actually does help improve our mood.

Of all the interventions brought to us by psychological research, I think this is probably my favourite. It’s both simple and well-evidenced. And as such, it has become well-known.
There are various names for it – three good things, three blessings or a gratitude list. There are variations too in the exact instructions given, but essentially the exercise involves spending a few moments in the evening reflecting on your day, then writing down three things that went well or that you enjoyed. The final element is to think about why these things felt positive to you. You can choose anything, however small and seemingly inconsequential. Perhaps you bumped into a friend you hadn’t seen for a while? Perhaps you and a colleague laughed about something together. Perhaps you enjoyed your walk home from the station in lovely early evening light.
Alternatively, you could include something much more significant, perhaps even life-changing. Like passing an important exam, or getting a promotion, or hearing that a relative is going to have a baby.