The Science of Happiness

Happiness Break: A 10-Minute Guided Practice, with Dacher Keltner

05.19.2022 - By PRX and Greater Good Science CenterPlay

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We guide you through a reflection of three things you're grateful for today. This practice is shown to boost happiness, connection, and motivation while reducing stress. Happiness Break is a new series by The Science of Happiness.

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3vatpfru

How to Do this Three Good Things practice:

Take a few deep breaths, and notice how you feel.

Think back on your day. Start from when you woke up, and mentally trace your steps forward in time.

What was the most beautiful, amazing, or interesting thing you saw all day? How did it make you feel? Take a moment to feel grateful for it. Think what had to happen so you could see that thing today, and let yourself appreciate those things.

Keep reflecting on your day. What’s the best sound you heard all day? How did it make you feel? Take a moment to feel grateful for that, and think about how you came to hear that thing today.

Look back over your day again: What’s the best thing that happened all day? It could be anything. Sit with your gratitude for that thing. What caused that thing to happen? Take a moment to appreciate all the factors that led to this good thing happening today.

Notice how you feel now.

Find the full Three Goods Things practice at our Greater Good in Action website: https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/three-good-things

More resources from The Greater Good Science Center:

Take our Gratitude Quiz: https://tinyurl.com/yc3dc53c

Why Gratitude is Good: https://tinyurl.com/fr4r2xyw

Tips for Keeping a Gratitude Journal: https://tinyurl.com/6khs9k28

Can Gratitude Help You Live More Sustainably? https://tinyurl.com/bdfws2e5

Four Great Gratitude Strategies: https://tinyurl.com/2s4h6z3f

How Gratitude Helps Your Friendships Grow: https://tinyurl.com/yc55bvw8

Cultivate more gratitude for the people you love with the Mental Subtraction of Relationships practice https://tinyurl.com/mthra2jd

How Gratitude Can Help You Through Hard Times: https://tinyurl.com/m9jz5atd

Today’s host:

Dacher Keltner is the host of The Science of Happiness podcast and a co-instructor of UC Berkeley’s course by the same name. He’s also the founding director of The Greater Good Science Center and a professor of psychology at UC Berkeley.

Tell us about your experiences trying this version of the Three Good Things practice by emailing us at [email protected] or using the hashtag #happinesspod.

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