Resiliency and Positivity Resources

When we think about mental health, all too often we default to focusing on mental illness (depression, anxiety, etc.). However, it is just as important, perhaps more so, to focus on the positive. Daily practices centered on happiness have been proven to increase your resiliency, like filling a well of strength to draw upon when you encounter sad or stressful times.

When something negative happens, it can consume our thoughts and actions. The same isn’t true for positive things. Our brains are hardwired to discount the good and focus on the bad, that means we need to be very intentional about focusing on positive events so we can rewire our thinking to produce happiness.

A practice that can help with this is the 3 Good Things exercise. Before bed each evening, take a few minutes to write down three positive things that happened that day. They don’t have to be monumental; they just have to be good. Note what it was that made each event good. By doing this before bed, as you sleep your mind will be more focused on those things rather than what gives you stress or makes you sad or angry. Over time this exercise has been shown to improve happiness and outlook on life.

We practice kindness because we want to be helpful, particularly with our neighbors in need. However, kindness not only benefits the other person, it has a measurable impact on your personal happiness and resiliency. We are in control of our own actions and how we choose to see the world. By putting kindness into the world, we will better see the goodness all around us.

In the first example video, a TEDx speaker shares how his practice of kindness impacted him on a personal level. It also then led to ripple effects felt throughout his entire organization.

The “Change for a Dollar” video illustrates how with just a dollar, one person can have a profoundly positive impact on the people around them.

One of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness in your life is how much gratitude you show. Gratitude forces you to disengage with the negative aspects of your day so you can focus not just on something positive in your life, but on the person or people you’re grateful for.

This Science of Happiness video walks through a real experiment where participants were asked to think about someone who had a positive impact on their life and then thank that person. The results were not only heartwarming, but researchers could quantify how much happier people were after being intentional about gratitude.

In the TEDx video, the speaker shares a powerful story about how one person’s gratitude profoundly affected him. It’s an example of how anyone can demonstrate leadership through simple acts of kindness.