Write a Positive Review!
Easter Sunday may have come and gone, but it’s still Eastertime! Joy feels so easy to access during a celebration like Easter, but how can we extend that joy beyond the day itself?
According to neuroscientists, it’s actually possible to cultivate the ability to feel joy, to make it a part of your “emotional muscle memory” (which you can read more about here). There are many ways to do this, but one simple way to increase your own happiness is to spread joy to others. This is supported by scientific research as well – our own sense of well-being actually improves when we seek to make others happy (read more about Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky’s research on this subject here).
How can you make someone else happy this week? Try writing a positive review! Requests for feedback on meals, purchases, and experiences are commonplace, but often ignored – except when something has gone wrong. All too often, we leave a review only when we have something negative to say. This week, bring your family together and have everyone think of one thing that lived up to their expectations – or perhaps even exceeded them. It might be a restaurant that got your order just right, or an online purchase that actually does everything the website promises it will, or a service worker who was especially friendly and helpful. It might even be something that happened at home, like a stellar meal cooked by the family’s designated chef (“the spaghetti was stellar!”), or a child who cleaned up their playroom to perfection (“5 stars!”). Write a review of whatever you’ve chosen, being sure to include lots of positive, affirming language and specific details about what you appreciated most. It doesn’t have to be long, or perfectly-spelled, it just has to come from a place of kindness and gratitude.
All that’s left is to share it! If your review is of a family member, read it to them. If it’s of a business, fill out a feedback form on their website or leave them a review on whatever platform they use. Don’t underestimate the impact a positive review can have on someone; for service workers in particular, good reviews can not only garner them recognition from their employer, they can also make what can be a challenging job a little bit more rewarding. And when you imagine the smile on their face, and the stories they’ll tell about how your review made them feel, you just might feel their joy reflected back at you.
What “5-star” experiences have you had this week? We’d love to hear your positive reviews of just about anything! Leave your comments on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
