What are Three Good Things (TGT)?
Three Good Things (TGT) is a positive psychology intervention that involves writing down three good things that happened each day and reflecting on why they happened.
The goal of the exercise is to help people cultivate gratitude, increase optimism, and boost happiness. It can also help people shed negative biases, and view things in a more positive light.
Top tips for practicing TGT
- Write down three things. You can write a sentence or two about each thing, or more if you want. You can include what you noticed, how it made you feel, and why you think it happened. You can also give the event a title and explain what happened exactly
- Reflect. Think about why the things went well and how they made you feel. You can also try to refocus your mind on the good event and the positive feelings that came with it
- Repeat daily. For maximum impact, some recommend repeating the exercise for two weeks.
Some studies have shown that TGT can have benefits such as decreased burnout in nurses, reduced insomnia in adults, and positive effects on mood and depression.
