The Life Changing Magic of Pleasant Activities

Sometimes we don’t bother to develop pleasant activities. 
It’s true that sometimes it’s easier to forgo the pleasant activities in life… easier, yes- better, no. 
Sometimes we’re too are too depressed, tired, over- worked, or overwhelmed to make the effort. 
Other times, we mistake pleasant activities to be these big giant things that take planning and strategy and a weekend away.

My hope this month is to introduce you to, and inspire you with
the magic of adding “little positives” into your daily routines. 

How many times have you looked back at an experience- only to recognize that the good time ruiner was you?  That used to be me.  I wanted efficiency over engagement and for everyone around me to know that “yes I’m here… But this this really inconvenient because I’m soooo busy.”  Gross. 

Then I learned to make the sunshine! 
I learned what it looks like to create and enjoy the experiences of my life that I want to have! 

Do at Least One Pleasant Thing a Day
To start with, do at least one thing each day that prompts positive emotions, such as enjoyment, pleasure, serenity, calmness, love, joy, pride, or self-confidence.  My favorite thing to do is decide ahead of time what the emotion is I want to create and then pick my activity based on that! 

Be Willing to Use Problem-Solving Skills
This is extra important when you have a tight budget, an inflexible schedule, or external demands. It can be difficult, but it is possible.
Sunday planning is a great time to look ahead at the week and see where your pleasant activities need a little extra support.  Tuesdays are a late night for me, so I take extra care to plan my pleasantries earlier in the day.  Not only does this ensure that I actually participate in them… it sets me up to go into leading Skills Groups in THE.BEST.MOOD.
Another way to problem solve… invite friends along! It’s so easy to bail on ourselves for an activity, even an activity we will enjoy.   Having a commitment to meet a friend is a great way to help keep promises to ourselves- especially early on when our commitment to behavior activation is low.

Adding one or two small pleasant activities every once in a while, only when it’s convenient is unlikely to make a dramatic difference in the quality of your life. But adding them is helpful in changing emotions a little at a time.

For pleasant activities to be effective, you have to practice them often and try different activities.
But I promise if you commit to the practice of adding them- over time, the small changes they make in mood will add up to a noticeable difference. Be patient, be patient, be patient!

I challenge you to find three to seven pleasant activities that you can incorporate into your daily life.
Share your plan for implementing them in the comments below!