A DIY guide to well-being

ICHHA BHAN is a counselor and life coach with an interest in positive change, resilience, and transformation. By helping people connect with their authentic selves and unlock their potential, she is on a mission to empower and inspire others on their wellness journey.

Positive emotions play a crucial role in our well-being, offering a myriad of benefits. Biologically, they trigger the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin, which make us feel happier and reduce internal disintegration, resulting in fewer intrusive thoughts that cloud our judgment. This heightened state of positivity creates an ideal environment for exploring our perception of situations and extracting valuable lessons from them.

Moreover, these emotions cultivate an optimistic outlook for future situations, reminding us that change is constant, and positivity can be found even in adverse circumstances. This positive feedback loop elevates our overall sense of well-being and adds greater meaning to our lives, helping us find the silver lining in challenging moments.

Positive emotions equip us to make wise decisions, respond calmly to negative emotions, and improve our social integration and distress tolerance. Ultimately, they enhance our ability to effectively regulate our emotions, providing us with valuable tools to navigate life’s ups and downs.

Consider this: when you’re in a positive mood, or when life is going smoothly, you feel more confident and stable in your emotions. If something negative occurs, you recover swiftly. You might process it more efficiently and find that it doesn’t have as much of an impact on you. On the contrary, when life is challenging or you are already facing difficulties, rebounding from a negative event can be far more taxing. It is harder to maintain belief in a positive outcome and your resilience may wane.

3 practical ways to cultivate a positive inner environment and build resilience

Memory jar

Create your own personal time capsule.

Equipment: Jar, colorful sticky notes, pen or pencil.

Each day, take a moment to notice when you’re feeling contented or joyful. Grab a sticky note and jot down what brought that happiness or smile to your face. Fold the note and place it in the jar.

Whenever you’re feeling down or could use a quick mood boost, simply reach for a few notes from the jar and read them. You’ll find yourself smiling again, even if temporarily. It’s an effective way to swiftly shift your mood and lift your spirits.

Visual diary

Remind yourself of beautiful moments.

Equipment: Camera or phone camera

Keep an eye out for those charming moments that bring a smile to your face, instill a sense of ease, or elicit laughter. Whenever you encounter such positive experiences, seize the moment by taking a photo. While these snapshots may not hold the same significance for others, revisiting them will conjure up cherished memories, filling you with joy.

Photos also serve as undeniable evidence that every day is adorned with small, almost indescribably beautiful moments, each carrying a deeply personal and meaningful connection to your life.

Recognize that remembering past
achievements and positive
experiences serves as concrete
evidence of your capabilities, 
even when you doubt yourself 
in the present.

Sensory-specific information

A counselor and coach-approved technique that is especially helpful when you’re feeling low or lacking confidence.

Equipment: Journal, pen or pencil.

Step 1: Recall and visualize

Recall a specific moment from your past when you felt extremely positive and confident. If needed, focus on the emotion or state of mind you wish to recreate.

Take some time to vividly visualize this moment, allowing yourself to fully immerse in the experience.

Step 2: Journaling the experience

In your journal, describe the scene using your senses:

What do you see at this moment?

What are the sounds you hear?

What are you touching, and how does it feel?

Are there any particular scents associated with this memory?

Now, delve into finer details:

Identify the specific emotion you were feeling during this memory.

Describe how you know you were feeling this emotion, focusing on observable evidence.

Explore the thoughts running through your mind at that time.

Reflect on how these thoughts influenced your behavior.

Analyze your behavior during this memory and identify what indicates that you were feeling good.

Step 3: Reconnect with empowering feelings

As you answer these questions in your journal, notice if you start to rekindle the sensations, emotions, and thoughts you experienced during the memory. This immersion is designed to bring you closer to that experience.

Recognize that remembering past achievements and positive experiences serves as concrete evidence of your capabilities, even when you doubt yourself in the present. It demonstrates that you have the capacity to achieve more than you think in the present.

This structured technique allows you to tap into the power of positive memories to boost your confidence and mood, offering tangible proof of your inner strength and potential.