Home / Resources / Self-care Tip: Have you tried the mental subtraction of positive events?

Self-care Tip: Have you tried the mental subtraction of positive events?

 

It may seem that we have all had an exercise in gratitude imposed on us over the past few months. Whether it’s thoughts of being grateful for still being able to put food on the table during lockdown or uttering the words, “I’m never going to take visiting a café with a friend for granted ever again”, we’ve probably all realised that the small things we took for granted at the start of the year should actually have featured highly on our gratitude lists.

But we perhaps haven’t gone beyond those initial thoughts as, in current times, it is especially easy for our disappointments and fears to occupy more of our attention.  And yet gratitude is known to be an important tool in our self-care armoury which, when practiced regularly, can help us lead a more joyful life with better connection to others.

An exercise called the Mental Subtraction of Positive Events on the Greater Good in Action website is a short, valuable practice in which you consider the ways that an important, positive event in your life may not have taken place and then reflect on what your life would be like had it not happened.

It is considered a valuable practice as, rather than just taking these events for granted, it lets us see how easily they may never have occurred and leads us to be appreciative of what they mean to us and the contribution they make to our overall wellbeing.  Poignantly, during these current times, that seems like a welcome addition to our self-care routines.

You can find instructions for trying the exercise here and can practice a similar exercise reflecting on the relationships in your life by following this link.

 

The words More Tips overlaid on a green and pink background with sharp green and pink coloured pencils laid horizontally with tips meeting

Many other stress management tips are available on our website – please have a browse to find some that work for you

 

Recent articles on our blog....

A white plate with a white and green flower arrangement and candles in the background

Do you seek or avoid conversations about grief at work?

December 7, 2023

For this year’s National Grief Awareness Week (2 – 8 December) we have reviewed and updated the section on grief within our mental health resources and consider why we may avoid conversations about grief at work.

Read More →

Autumn 2023 Newsletter includes tips for Stress Awareness Week

November 1, 2023

For Stress Awareness Week, the autumn edition of our quarterly wellbeing at work newsletter includes stress management tips and resources.

Read More →
Two anonymous co-workers sitting outside talking, one holding a coffee cup and the other the stump filter of a coffee machine.

Communication at work – be aware of the pitfalls of co-rumination

November 1, 2023

We offer 5 tips for helping to develop healthy interactions at work in order to increase wellbeing and avoid co-rumination.

Read More →

Testimonials

ineq-about-us-150x150

Our purpose is to provide training and consultancy services to enhance resilience, health and wellbeing in the workplace.

ineq-ethos-values-150x150

Differentiation is one of the most strategic and tactical activities in which companies most constantly engage

ineq-faqs-150x150

It's natural to have questions about training and how it fits with your organisation. Our FAQs can help you find out more.

ineq-case-studies-150x150

View case studies for some of the in-house training courses we have delivered to different types of organisations across the UK.