Positive Thinking Exercises

Many thanks to Kelly Sonora for sending me this link - 100 positive thinking exercises. My advice would be not to wait until you're having a bad day to put these into action - once you're in a negative frame of mind it will require more effort and self-control to get yourself out of it. Trying practising some of them everyday starting from today - create some new 'positive rituals'. This will make it all the more easier to continue once the going does get tough.



Image: wadem

Positive Psychology down on the farm

This is the most off the wall application of positive psychology in business I've come across yet - who would have thought that performing Tai Chi in front of cows would improve the quality and quantity of their milk?

Devon farmer, Robert Taverner, says that not only does performing Tai Chi together bond his workforce, the fact that it makes them more relaxed and happy has a positive knock-one effect on his 250 dairy cows, which results in them producing higher quality milk. You can watch a video of various members of the farm's team performing a different Tai Chi ritual for every day of the week on Robert's website.

For a quick (3 minute) insight into Tai Chi for cows, listen to Robert on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live programme yesterday morning (10 May 2008)- it starts at about 6 mins 45 seconds into the programme.


Image: WukieGrl

Positive Psychology News Daily

This month's posting for Positive Psychology News Daily focuses on the recent research behind insomnia and well-being.

Thanksgiving in 21st Century

Most people know that Thanksgiving is celebrated in North America on the 4th Thursday in November (i.e. last Thursday 22nd), and also in Canada in early October. Like our own Harvest Festival in September, this traditional holiday is an opportunity to give thanks for all the things that you have at the conclusion of the harvest season, both tangible and intangible.

In this New York Times article last week, journalist Henry Fountain considers Thanksgiving 21st Century style - via the practice of keeping a Gratitude Diary. We've talked about gratitude several times before; there's increasing empirical evidence to show that being grateful in a mindful way, for example through a diary or a letter, increases your well-being.

What I like about Fountain's article is the acknowledgement that giving thanks is simple but not easy, it requires some effort and self-discipline.

I think this is a very important message to get across to the Victor Meldrew's of this world*; happiness isn't something that just happens, despite what you often see in films and magazines, you actively need to do something. That something varies from person to person, although Positive Psychology is giving us a lot to go on.
So if you haven't tried it, I challenge you to keep a gratitude diary for three weeks, and see what a difference it makes.


PS You might like to know that there is a Victor Meldrew Appreciation Club on the business networking site Ecademy...and yes, it is British....




Thanks to Viv Thackray for the link

Positive Interventions - Gratitude

A new slant on the Gratitude Diary.

There is empirical research to suggest that writing a Gratitude Diary is an effective positive intervention; most studies to date have concentrated on writing a Gratitude Diary on a daily or weekly basis; we have blogged about this before, in March, June and August. Today a friend and fellow UEL MAPP student, Paul Marshall, sent me this five minute gratitude video, with the suggestion that you download it onto your ipod and play it every morning in order to enhance well-being.

I'm not sure if it will be as effective as writing down what you're grateful for, because the act of writing in itself is known to be extremely important in processing information, however, why not give it a try for a week and let us know whether you notice any difference in your level of well-being?

P.S. Sometimes the Gratitude Diary intervention is referred to as 'Counting Your Blessings'. If you're considering using it with a coaching client, you might want to think about what to call it beforehand as there are religious/spiritual connotations to the latter which may not be suitable in your particular situation.

Positive Interventions

Public pillow fights, bubble battles, art installations and parties on the tube are just some of the group interventions that Newmindspace duo Lori Kufner and Kevin Bracken have devised to create a sense of community by connecting with people and having fun in the public spaces of Toronto and New York.

What we liked about this particular clip was the obvious anticipation before the whistle blows to start the pillow-fight, and the look on the faces of the spectators - they're having as much fun, if not more, than the pillow-fighters themselves.

21 year old Lori and Kevin, who are studying Urban Politics and Sociology at the University of Toronto, aim to create a sense that anyone can make a big difference, by challenging people's beliefs about what is possible.

For a longer documentary of the pair discussing their work (which includes footage of the fabulous Valentine's Day mural on Queen Street West, Toronto), have a look at the Newmindspace website.

And if you know of any similar inspirational activities or events near you, please let us know.