Anxiety, loneliness, insecurity or stress. The corona crisis can lead to more negative feelings. How do you stay positive in these times? It can help to keep a positivity diary to write down the things that are going well.

1 negative experience equals 3 positive experiences

We humans remember negative experiences better and longer than positive experiences. Our brain is shaped like that. When you try to remember things from when you were two years old, it is very difficult. Often the things you do remember are the bad experiences, like when you lost your parents in a big shop or the fear of the first day of school.

To ‘correct’ a negative experience you need at least three positive experiences. So one negative experience is opposed to three positive experiences. It is therefore good to reflect more often on the positive experiences. For example by noting down daily what is going well. You are more aware of the positive experiences you have one day. Keeping the positive things per day is called a positivity diary.

Positivity diary

You can note down small and big successes in a positivity diary. You can also note various positive experiences. Your thoughts and feelings are also important here.

Here are some examples to get you started:

• Today I had a nice walk
• Today I went for a run
• I cooked a nice meal myself
• I think I have organized my work well today
• Today I called a friend and had a good conversation

Tip: you can use the NiceDay app to write down your feelings and positive things.