Dr. Daniel Amen came up with a simple yet profound method for training the brain to remember the good stuff. He encourages individuals to create a habit of as soon as you wake up, thinking, saying out loud, or writing, “it’s going to be a great day.”

This primes the brain to search out the good small and big things that happen in that day, and the result is what? It’s joy strength.

Joy strength is our friend, we need it to not only survive but thrive in this life. Joy strength is the thought process your brain needs to function its best. Joy strength helps keep our brain healthy. And a healthy brain, can change your life for the better.

So what do we need as a society? We need joy strength, and it starts with one individual at a time.

I had an old picture frame I wasn’t using so decided it would be the perfect frame for quoting “it’s going to be a great day.” I strategically set this frame up in a spot of my living room so when I walk out of my bedroom first thing, that is what I look at.

In addition to this small but important habit, I’ve added in an additional piece of my nightly routine as I prepare to sleep. I get cozied up in my blankets, lay my head on the pillow, take a few big deep breaths, and reflect on the smaller “great” things that happened in my day.

Perhaps that was an encouraging text I received from a friend, maybe it was the taco I made, possibly the walk outside I took, maybe the pages of a book I read.

When we train our brains to remember the great little things, it’s teaching our brain to go to the good stuff as a natural focus.

Small positive net habits make all the difference over time. You get to choose how intentional you want to be in growing joy. You got this!