Comments on: How List Writing Can Make You Happier http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier Mark McClure Writes About Mid-Career Change And Personal Growth Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:43:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Weight Loss Journal-- Weight Loss Reform http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier/comment-page-1#comment-2334 Weight Loss Journal-- Weight Loss Reform Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:34:53 +0000 http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier#comment-2334 [...] When Mark was in his 20s he kept a training diary each day for all the running, weight lifting, hill running and hurdling experiences of those young adult years spent as an athlete. Years later he can still look at many of the entries and vividly recall what he was doing, who he was with, how much it hurt (sometimes). Source: http://markmccluretoday.com/update-on-the-october-happiness-list-exercise. [...] [...] When Mark was in his 20s he kept a training diary each day for all the running, weight lifting, hill running and hurdling experiences of those young adult years spent as an athlete. Years later he can still look at many of the entries and vividly recall what he was doing, who he was with, how much it hurt (sometimes). Source: http://markmccluretoday.com/update-on-the-october-happiness-list-exercise. [...]

]]> By: Weight Loss http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier/comment-page-1#comment-2332 Weight Loss Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:13:05 +0000 http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier#comment-2332 Hi Mark, Many thanks. I can really relate to this post. Earlier this year I commenced a weight loss endeavor (prompted by turning 50) and walk each day wearing a pedometer. I keep a weight loss journal where I record my walks and the number steps each day. I find this gives me motivation and accountability. [Hello WL, Yes, me too. There's something about writing a (training) diary - almost like an act of closure for the events of that day. Works for me! BTW -have you see this? http://www.trekdesk.com/ Mark] Hi Mark,

Many thanks. I can really relate to this post.

Earlier this year I commenced a weight loss endeavor (prompted by turning 50) and walk each day wearing a pedometer. I keep a weight loss journal where I record my walks and the number steps each day. I find this gives me motivation and accountability.

[Hello WL,

Yes, me too. There's something about writing a (training) diary - almost like an act of closure for the events of that day. Works for me!

BTW -have you see this? http://www.trekdesk.com/

Mark]

]]> By: Mark McClure Coaching http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier/comment-page-1#comment-1141 Mark McClure Coaching Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:19:18 +0000 http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier#comment-1141 Simon, It's like the experience where you think about something you'd die for (e.g. a red Porsche!) and then start regularly noticing red Porsches everywhere for a while - isn't that the brain's reticular activating system, where we can filter out desired info from the endless sensory data stream that we take as "being alive"? I don't think it would do any harm to write out things that make you sad, angry or any other emotion. Might lead to great literature or works of art! ;-) For my own part, I've found that even in sadness there is always something to learn, something worth knowing from the experience. (A very simple and powerful approach to noticing our thoughts and feelings is Byron Katie's "The Work".) Simon,
It’s like the experience where you think about something you’d die for (e.g. a red Porsche!) and then start regularly noticing red Porsches everywhere for a while – isn’t that the brain’s reticular activating system, where we can filter out desired info from the endless sensory data stream that we take as “being alive”?

I don’t think it would do any harm to write out things that make you sad, angry or any other emotion. Might lead to great literature or works of art! ;-)

For my own part, I’ve found that even in sadness there is always something to learn, something worth knowing from the experience. (A very simple and powerful approach to noticing our thoughts and feelings is Byron Katie’s “The Work”.)

]]> By: Simon Stapleton http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier/comment-page-1#comment-1137 Simon Stapleton Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:30:49 +0000 http://markmccluretoday.com/how-list-writing-can-make-you-happier#comment-1137 I really like this technique Mark. It's a way of stock-checking and affirming at the same time. It's simple, and not trite. Like most things that fit that description, it's easy to dismiss them as too simple or obvious. But that's just putting a block in the way and the tactic of someone who is ruled by fear! I was thinking, would this have the opposite effect if I wrote down the things daily that made me sad? I really like this technique Mark. It’s a way of stock-checking and affirming at the same time. It’s simple, and not trite.
Like most things that fit that description, it’s easy to dismiss them as too simple or obvious. But that’s just putting a block in the way and the tactic of someone who is ruled by fear!

I was thinking, would this have the opposite effect if I wrote down the things daily that made me sad?

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