This free and simple trick can make you happier

Instead of airing all your frustrations, positive expressive writing is about gratitude, self -awareness and an optimistic vision of the future for yourself.

It is a big shift from the early days of therapeutic writing, where participants were encouraged to retell trauma and stressful experiences – a method that the researchers behind the study may help in the long term, but which can currently pull you further down the dark.

The positive version instead skips the tears and goes directly to the uplifting content, writes the US media New York Post.

However, after analyzing 51 studies from 1930 to 2023, the researchers admit that positive expressive writing did not seem like a miracle cure for everyone. Some experienced great improvements, while others no difference noticed.

Why the mixed results? This may be due to how the exercises were performed – or the individual participants’ personality and approach.

The researchers conclude that more standardized methods and greater focus on individual differences are needed before this method can be recommended as a universal solution.

Nevertheless, the results fit into a growing amount of research showing that a positive life attitude and gratitude are among the easiest ways of increased happiness.

« Gratitude is mentioned in almost all conversations about happiness – and for good reason. It is an emotional trump, » Mindset and Meditation Coach said Joanna Rajendran to the New York Post.

She recommends starting in the small, which is why you should of course not expect everything to change from one day to the next.

« Although things like your health, your home and your family are real reasons for gratitude, they lose their emotional power if you mention them too generally or often. Instead, you should look around right now and start with the little joys and start to mention them, » she said.

Experts also emphasize leading a form of diary in general as a good way to reduce everyday stress and as an ‘anxiety-detox’ before bed.

In an often quoted study, people who wrote diary experienced just 15 minutes a day, significantly less anxiety, depression and general turmoil. So the next time you feel down, remember that it may be better to grab the ballpoint pen than to do something else.

Again, however, it is important to note that not everyone has experienced a positive effect on this. Whether that will be the case for you is hard to predict why you will have to try your way.