daffodil 2When most of us think of a pleasant event, we think big – a wedding, a vacation, the birth of a child.

When we talk about pleasant events with our Pathway to Mindfulness clients, we think small: a bird singing in the morning, a child’s smile, a really yummy piece of cake, an unexpected call from a friend. We also believe that more you recognize the little pleasant events that pepper your day, the more mindful you become.

There’s more. Once you learn to look for pleasant events, the greater your chance of finding one becomes.

Here’s how:

It’s really quite simple. The first step is to invest in a journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just something to write in, and please use paper and a pen or pencil – so much more relaxing, calming and less distracting than typing into your computer, tablet or phone.

Day 1: Before you go to sleep, sit down and think about five pleasant events that happened during the day. Can’t think of five? Just write down as many as you can remember.

Day 2: Notice the little things in life that bring a smile to your face. And go looking for them if you’re having trouble. Drive by a playground, watch a comedy on TV, have a great conversation with a family member or friend – anything that will make you feel good. That night, sit down and write five pleasant thoughts, or again as many as you can find.

Day 3: Hopefully, it’s getting easier to find five pleasant experiences during the day. And tonight, instead of just writing down the pleasant event, go into some detail. Try to remember why this experience was pleasant, and how did you react? What did it to your thoughts? Your body? Your emotions. If you cannot remember, no worries. Just add it to your to-do list tomorrow.

Day 4: Today, you are not only noticing pleasant events, you are paying attention to what the event did your:

  • Thoughts: What are you thinking?
  • Body: How did it affect you? Did you smile? Did you feel lighter? Did you forget about any body aches or pains?
  • Emotions: Did it make you happy? Glad to be alive? Thankful that you didn’t miss this little slice of life?

By tonight, you’ll be a whiz at journaling.

Day 5: You’ve got this pleasant-event thing covered. You might even realize that by concentrating on pleasant events, life’s becoming a little less stressful.

The intention? Crowd out the unpleasant with the pleasant. You only have to look around to uncover what’s usually right in front of your eyes.