Blogging from A to Z April 2024 Challenge: T

Aging: The Good, the Bad, and the Tolerable

T is for Three Good Things

When I was a volunteer at Duke University Hospital right after I retired, Dr. J Bryan Sexton, director of the Patient Safety Center lectured our group about Three Good Things. Three Good Things, also called Three Blessings, was a tool he used to decrease burnout among hospital staff. The staff documented, at the end of the day, three things that went well. After a two week intervention, the staff reported a 40% drop in depression and 22% decrease in burnout that was sustained one year later.

Three Good Things “trains” us to see positive events in our lives that may go unnoticed.

Martin Seligman, considered the father of positive psychology, developed the concept of Three Blessings. He had participants write down three things that went well at the end of the day, and why the good things happened, and noted that there was a significant improvement in happiness, and less depression. The results were sustained for six months.

Using this tool, I believe is advantageous for us elderly, who experience loss and unexpected physical challenges as we age. Looking for positive occurrences in our lives interrupts the focus on negative events and improves mood, decreases depressive symptoms, and enhances social support.

“Anyone can start a Three Good Things intervention tonight. At the end of the day, before you go to bed, write down the three good things that happened that day and reflect on why they happened. For maximum impact, repeat this daily exercise for two weeks. You may find it challenging at first to come up with three good things from your day, but the good news is that by day four or five remembering the good becomes easier. The brain begins to more effectively recognize and interpret the positive moments that we experience each day. This powerful tool can be used to improve your current levels of well-being and anytime you begin to feel that your personal resources are being depleted.”

Roberts P. Three Good Things: Build Resilience and Improve Well-Being. American Nurse Today, December 2018: p2.

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