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Positive Psychology Exercises
EMOCLEAR POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISES.
***Warning: These exercises are not to be used by anyone with a history of mental illness, severe trauma, or panic. Those challenges are best handled with a therapist. You are only permitted to use these exercises if you agree to absolve Steve Mensing, the webmasters, Emoclear.com and the web host of any responsibility for the application or misapplication of this process. With any emotional exercise there is the possibility of discomfort.***
EMOCLEAR POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISES.
The following exercises are based on Martin Seligman's Positive Psychology approach. Choose one exercise at a time and do it for two weeks before moving onto another exercise. Keep a record of your completed exercises and what happened in your life and with your mood. Notice what good things took place during and after the exercises' completion. Record this information in a journal or log.
(c) Steve Mensing
EMOCLEAR POSITVE PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISE I: Doing Pleasurable, Important, and Meaningful Activites.
Every day for two weeks do the following:
(1) Choose a pleasurable activity to do alone and do it to completion. Example: Gardening or writing.
(2) Choose a pleasurable activity to do with others and do it until completion. Example: Go dancing with friends.
(3) Choose an activity you deem important and meaningful and do it to completion. Example: Balancing your checkbook.
(4) Later in the day record what occured in your life during and at the conclusion of the 3 activities. What were the 3 activities effects on your mood? Notice what good things took place during and after the activities completion. Record what happened in a journal or log.
(5) How did your choices and actions make these good, important, meaningful, and pleasurable activities happen?
(6) Do 3 new pleasurable and meaningful/important activities each day for two weeks before switching to another Emoclear Positive Psychology Exercise.
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EMOCLEAR POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISE II:
Building Character. Based on Character Strengths
(Peterson & Seligman, 2004).
For two weeks pick two activities per day from the list below. Choose two new activities every day.
At the conclusion of the activities record what occured in your life during and at the conclusion of the activitities. What were the 2 activities effects on your mood? Notice what good things took place during and after the activities. Record what happened in a journal or log.
The Activity List:
1. Do a creative activity like writing, art, inventing, or solving problems ect.
2. Learn something new.
3. Follow your curiosity in exploring something new.
4. Master a new skill or area of knowledge.
5. Examine an issue or viewpoint from several different perspectives. Discuss it with someone.
6. Give your point of view to another who requests it.
7. Act with honesty. Tell someone the truth about a part of yourself you previously didn't accept.
8. Carry out an important goal in the face of emotional blocks or opposition from others.
9. Act with courage in the face of fear or pain
10. Complete a course of action.
11. Experience energy and passion in going after a goal or vision.
12. Do a good deed for someone else or a group.
13. Demonstrate your love for another.
14. Become aware of another person's emotions, intentions, and motives. Ask them if this is what they feel, intend, or are motivated by.
15. Do an important act for your community.
16. Treat another as you would like to be treated.
17. Organize and lead an important group activity.
18. Act with Self-control. Choose to do something other than to behave in an impulsive manner.
19. Forgive another for some wrong they did.
20. Act in a modest way. Let what you did speak for itself.
21. Carefully arrive at a decision and hold off saying something you might later regret.
22. Regulate your emotional response and what you do.
23. Take note of something beautiful or outstanding.
24. Appreciate and show gratitude to others and for good things that happen to you.
24. Take up a spiritual discipline and practice it.
25. Find something humorous and enjoy a good laugh. Tell stories and jokes that amuse others.
26. Expect good things to happen and go about doing things that will get those good things to happen.
27. Tune into your intuition and do what it prompts you to do.
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EMOCLEAR POSITVE PSYCHOLOGY EXERCISE III: APPRECIATION & GRATITUDE EXERCISE.
Here's a reflection exercise for accessing appreciation and gratitude:
This exercise is to be done daily for two weeks.
(1) GENTLY PINCH YOUR RIGHT NOSTRIL SHUT AND BREATHE FOR 12 INHALATIONS AND EXHALATIONS THROUGH YOUR LEFT NOSTRIL ONLY: Gently pinch your right nostril shut and breathe for 12 inhalations and exhalations through your left nostril only. When this is complete go to step (2).
(2) PLACE YOUR RIGHT PALM ON YOUR HEARTBEAT REGION AND ACCESS THE FOLLOWING MEMORIES:
Place your right palm on your heartbeat region and access at least two of the 4 styles of memories daily. Record how you felt during and after the memories. Record your moods. Do these appreciation and gratitude exercises every day for two weeks. Choose two of the following memories to work with daily:
(A) Recall any acts of love or kindness directed toward you in the last 72 hours. These acts of love or kindness may have been done by friends, pets, family, coworkers, or strangers. Recall and feel how you felt at the time. Perhaps it was someone offering you a seat on public transportation, someone allowing you into the flow of traffic, a well prepared meal, or errands someone did. Recall them and allow your feelings of appreciation and gratitude to form. At the end of this exercise write a brief "thank you" letter or email to the family, friends, pets, coworkers or strangers. You need not send or deliver this letter or email. Express your appreciation and gratitude.
(B) Recall emotional issues that appeared within the last 72 hours. What valuable messages did they supply? What good things might they have done for you on some level? Notice them and allow your feelings of appreciation and gratitude to form. At the end of this exercise write a brief "thank you" letter or email to your emotional issues. You need not send this letter or email. Express your appreciation and gratitude.
(C) Recall any of the acts of love and kindness that served you within the last few weeks, months, or years. Notice them and allow your feelings of appreciation and gratitude to form. At the end of this exercise write a brief "thank you" letter or email to those who provided acts of love or kindness. You need not send this letter or email. Express your appreciation and gratitude.
(D) Recall the wonderful gadgets and tools in your home. Some you may find invaluable to your day to day living. These might be faxes, computers, tv's, food processors, juicers, refrigerators, cars, and other such items. Notice how these things add to the quality of your life and to your enjoyment. Review all of the great chain of people who produced and distributed these gadgets and tools. Then allow yourself to appreciate and feel gratitude toward all those persons who brought these gadgets and tools into your home and made life more convenient and enjoyable. At the end of this exercise write a brief "thank you" letter or email to makers and creators of these wonderful gadgets. You need not send this letter or email. Express your appreciation and gratitude.
Take care, Steve.