Keeping a gratitude journal didn’t work for me for a while. I began reading up on what it meant to be grateful for things and eventually stumbled upon something that changed my practice and gave me a positive kick, finally.
In my experience, again, cognitive restructuring by blogging about my cognitions on Lesswrong has been more effective than gratitude journalling for making me happy. As I learn to be happier, I’m finding more and more cases of where I failed to identify the ecological fallacy in advice about what has worked for others and will work for me. I suggest anyone on the path to greater happiness doesn’t underestimate or overestimate their uniqueness.
Keeping a gratitude journal didn’t work for me for a while. I began reading up on what it meant to be grateful for things and eventually stumbled upon something that changed my practice and gave me a positive kick, finally.
Focus on counterfactuals, to actually experience gratitude towards things you list that you are grateful for. It’s that counterfactuality, that negative expectation that you subvert, that defensive pessimism—that subversion of doubt and vulnerability associated with uncertainty about future prospects, or certain doom for future prospects, which improves your affect.
In my experience, again, cognitive restructuring by blogging about my cognitions on Lesswrong has been more effective than gratitude journalling for making me happy. As I learn to be happier, I’m finding more and more cases of where I failed to identify the ecological fallacy in advice about what has worked for others and will work for me. I suggest anyone on the path to greater happiness doesn’t underestimate or overestimate their uniqueness.