I want to start 2016 positively! Inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s (best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love) beautifully simple idea about keeping a happiness jar I’ve started filling what I’ve decided to call my positivity jar.
Each day I write down on a piece of paper something positive that has happened.
It could be:
- something that’s made me smile
- a hug from a friend
- a compliment I’ve received
- an accomplished goal
- a joke that made me giggle
- memories worth remembering
- a friend’s good news
- my cats’ silly antics
- the beauty of nature
- something I’m grateful for
Whatever it is I write it down on a piece of paper, fold it up and put it in my positivity jar. We spend way too much time in life thinking about what we don’t have, or what we wish was different. Keeping a positivity jar is a wonderful practical way to appreciate what we have in our lives. We have so many positive things in our lives that we need to cherish each day. I love the idea of taking a moment each evening to focus on the positive aspects of my life, to reinforce the idea that, no matter how tough life with fibromyalgia is, it is worth living.
“Enjoy the little things in life because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”
― Kurt Vonnegut
When times are challenging or I’ve had a really bad pain day I can open my jar and read back on all those positive moments so far this year; I’m sure that they will bring a smile to my face.
Here are 6 fantastic reasons why you should start your own positivity jar:
- It reminds you to focus on the positive aspects of your life – happiness is closer than you think.
- It stresses the importance of filling your life with appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.
- It provides daily inspiration to keep you positive and smiling.
- It helps you to feel grateful for the wonderful things in your life.
- It encourages you to love the world around you every single day.
- It starts a simple positive habit.
Go find your jar now and treasure each day! I do :)
What will fill your positivity jar this year?
Keep smiling :)
Claire
x
Aww, this sounds like a lovely thing to do! Perhaps I should start my own…
Emily from http://www.emilyunderworld.co.uk
LikeLike
Hi Claire! Thought that you’d like to know that there is psychological report to support the view that something such a positivity jar can help. The Psychologists Kanner and De Longhis call the little things that have happened during the day that have made us smile uplifts.
Their research showed that when we experience more daily uplifts than hassles (little things that stress us out, such as traffic jams on the way to work, which can have a cumulative effect on our stress levels and therefore health), our levels of stress get lower, so we cope better with stressful situations (e.g. Living with our chronic pain).
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s fab Lyn :) x
LikeLike