Time for a new post!
And today I will be talking about a subject we were discussing at yesterday’s ‘Life 4 Living’ – a group that I am member of in my local town, one which establishes fun, friendship and understanding.
Positive Psychology is a relatively new branch within psychology and is basically the study of happiness, and one in which scientifically examines how ordinary people can become happier and ultimately live a more fulfilled life. Happiness is not something which makes us feel good but can also have a beneficial impact upon other areas of our lives such as social relationships, improved physical health and in a study amongst nuns it has even been found happiness can even help you live longer.
Many of us within the group suffer with chronic illness and find that we may feel unwell a lot of the time – these times, it often seems impossible to remain positive and upbeat…but that does not mean that we cannot find the beauty in life or still find joy in the little things which we enjoy. Life is a fantastic journey – not always easy and some of us find we have to climb huge mountains but there are lessons with we can all learn from during the hard times.
As a piece of ‘homework’ we have been given an exercise to complete, a way in which we can all learn to become more positive – every day to write in a little notepad or journal 3 things that we have been grateful for – it could be absolutely anything!! For example, it could be having a chat with a friend, or receiving a compliment from a stranger, it could even be grateful for being alive!!
Gratitude Diary – Image: www.paperchase.co.uk
At the moment, I think I would say that I am grateful for:
- My Parents – such a great support system and have stuck by me through everything
- My Dog – on a bad day it is wonderful just to have a cuddle from her
- My online support system – these ladies are such a blessing, and find myself looking forward to our Skype Meetings every fortnight with joy
So, what are you grateful for?
To learn more about the ‘Nun Study’, I have found a great resource which you can read here