Try these five exercises arising out of positive psychology studies. Research indicates each can bring greater levels of life happiness.

Five positive psychology exercises easily available to each of us, can help us spend more of our lives living the good life. Each of these exercises, resulting from psychology studies, offer the benefits of greater happiness, contentment, and life satisfaction.

Autonomy: Express your individuality

The more autonomy and freedom of choice in our lives, the happier we are. Look for opportunities in your daily life, at work and home, to express your free choice and independence.

• Organize your space.
• Devote some time to activities you enjoy

Feelings Fade:

We systematically over-estimate the duration of our feelings about both positive and negative future events. We adapt to new situations very quickly. Therefore, the negative event you fear, if it occurs, won't trouble you for as long as you now think it will. Conversely, the glow from a positive event won't last forever either.

• The future isn't as bright as we hope nor as dim as we fear.
• Adjust your expectations accordingly.

Fun and Philanthropy:

Psychology studies show that an orientation to the welfare of others is, in the long run, more satisfying than an orientation to one's own pleasure. To experience this for yourself:

• In the next week, undertake one pleasurable activity for yourself and one philanthropic activity that will benefit another person.
• Spend about the same amount of time on each activity during the week and at the end of the week jot down your reactions and feelings as a result of each activity.

Gratitude Letter:

Gratitude is a wonderful feeling of thanks that, when expressed, brings positive emotions to both initiator and recipient. To experience this for yourself, pick someone who has been kind and helpful to you, but has not heard your personal expression of thanks.

• Write a gratitude letter to the person you pick, expressing your gratitude and why you are grateful in specific and concrete terms.
• If at all possible, deliver it personally and ask the person to read the letter in your presence.

Happy Relationships:

Research indicates a very strong correlation between the quality of a relationship and the way in which partners respond to each other's good news. When your partner has good news to share:

• listen attentively,
• share positive thoughts about the news, and
• be constructive.

Have A Good Day:

Set up a journal or daily record and record your major activities each day for at least two weeks. At the end of each day, evaluate the "goodness" of that day on a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 is one of the best days of your life, 5 is an average day, and 1 is one of the worst days of your life.

At the end of the two week period go back over your records and look for a correlation between days you scored 6 or higher and your activities for that day. Look for activities that are present in some form during each good day.

• Now look for ways to include these activities in more of your days and you will have more good days.

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Topical Index of All Personal Development Articles

Sources: A Primer in Positive Psychology, Christopher Peterson and Positive Psychology and Coaching class, Alex Linley

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