Thanksgiving Day is November 27 in the US. What a perfect prompt for a Get Organized Tip on one of the best strategies for happiness there is… gratitude.

Gratitude makes you happier

Psychologists have scientifically tested (yep, we’re talking unwitting participants, experiments, statistical analysis, peer-reviewed journals) whether appreciating good things leads to greater happiness. And guess what – it does!

They’ve found many ways thankfulness boosts contentment, including:

• writing about positive events (1)
• counting blessings (2)
• noting three good things each day (3)

Get Organized for your personal thanksgiving

Just reflect regularly on your good stuff you’ll be on the path to a happier life. Here are some ways you can organize yourself to get more grateful:

1. Start a journal for recording the good things that happen to you.
2. Wear a ring on a different finger, put your watch on the other hand or plant post-it notes everywhere – anything to remind you to actively notice and appreciate your blessings.
3. Set a daily recurring task in Outlook to flag three positives a day. 

Get in the mood to think thankful. Here, I’ll start…

10 things I’m grateful for

(in no particular order)

1. Living in Sydney, a beautiful city
2. Ziggy, my iPod, whom I love with a passion that borders on objectophilia
3. Chocolate
4. Books – literature, detective novels, science, psychology, and heaps more!
5. Cliff, my espresso machine, who eases my tortured transition from sleep to wakefulness every day
6. Arrested Development, Friends, 30 Rock, Buffy, which have given me countless hours of laughter
7. My amazing, talented, kind friends
8. Stephen Hawking
9. Xander, my laptop
10. The internet

Now it’s your turn. What are you grateful for? C’mon share! It’ll make us both happy.

References

(1) Burton, C. M., & King, L. A. (2004). The health benefits of writing about intensely positive experiences. Journal of Research in Personality, 38(2), 150-163.

(2) Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131.

(3) Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410-421.

Image by Fern R

Related posts:

1. Gratitude Journal Template: My ‘Happy’ Thanksgiving Gift For You