Happiness requires mental discipline. Riding the waves of feelings and thoughts without control is the alternative, and that’s a recipe for conflict and instability.
I’m always on the hunt for the most efficient and effective ways to build mental muscle and raise the positivity I feel and exude. Without two hours (or even 20 minutes many days) to sit in meditation, what else can I do get in a good head space? I want tools that have a lot of bang for their buck.
Insert this exercise, inspired by cancer survivor and happiness hacker, Sarah Trimmer. She suggests answering the following prompts daily:
Today I am grateful for …
Today I helped someone by …
Something that made me happy today …
Today I learned …
Tomorrow I will …
Every night, while brushing my teeth with my electric toothbrush (in my left hand), I’ve been writing answers to these prompts (with my right hand), on a white board in my bathroom.
Jotting into a journal or posting on social media is another possibility, but that’s easier to flake out on or forget. So, with the prompts in permanent marker and the whole setup right in front of my face during nonnegotiable downtime, I’ve set myself up to consistently follow through.
Sure, this practice may not cultivate the same level of discipline that hours of regular meditation might produce, but it’s a positive habit that can help train the mind to skew in a more positive direction — especially when it’s implemented regularly.
When left unchecked, our minds aimlessly wander and default to what’s wrong. This exercise is a gentle way to kneed into that orientation and thus guide us toward feeling more happiness and joy.
I invite you to try this with me. The only thing to lose is perhaps your gum health — don’t forget to brush with care!