How does it work

  • Positive events from the past highlight the good in our lives, increasing gratitude and self-worth.
  • Feelings of wellbeing from viewing favourite pictures provides a mental refuge from negative thoughts and time to recover and restore.
  • Sharing memories with family and friends leads to stronger bonds and increases the feeling of belonging.
  • Happy photos of those we love and cherish makes us respond with smile and the act of smiling is in itself beneficial.
  • Viewing images and videos we find amusing makes us laugh and laughing is good for our health.

  • Nature is good for us, but even pictures of nature and certain blue/green images have been found to soothe our minds.
  • Deliberately copying a relaxed breathing pattern calms the nervous system.

  • Daily repetition of affirming statements may help the brain can form new neural pathways making it easier for the mind to return to these positive statements and avoid previous negative thinking.
  • Eventually, this reinforcement of wholesome self-belief can lead to positive mental outcomes such as enhanced self-esteem and confidence.

  • Studies have found that pleasant emotions from positive reminiscing increased happy feelings that persisted for several days afterwards
  • Feeling good makes us better able to cope and stay positive when faced with life's challenges
  • Thus building in regular moments of happiness into our day can contribute to an upward spiral of emotional wellbeing

  1. Bryant, F.B., Smart, C.M. & King, S.P. Using the Past to Enhance the Present: Boosting Happiness Through Positive Reminiscence. J Happiness Stud 6, 227–260 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-005-3889-4
  2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-buoyant-life/202303/the-benefits-of-reliving-your-happy-memories#:~:text=Health%20Benefits,and%20even%20lower%20cortisol%20levels.
  3. Watkins, P.C., Woodward, K., et al. (2003). Gratitude and happiness: Development of a measure of gratitude and relationship with subjective well-being. Social Behaviour and Personality, 31(5): 431-452
  4. Strack, F., Martin, L.L., & Stepper, S. (1988). Inhibiting and facilitating conditions of the human smile: A nonobstructive test of the facial feedback hypothesis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 54(5):768-777
  5. Mora-Ripoll, R. (2010). The therapeutic value of laughter in medicine. Alternative Therapies, Health and Medicine, 16(6):56-64
  6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8161053/ - The Mood-Improving Effect of Viewing Images of Nature and Its Neural Substrate
  7. https://www.sciencealert.com/just-looking-at-photos-of-nature-could-be-enough-to-lower-your-work-stress-levels
  8. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00353/full
  9. https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/its-official-looking-at-old-photos-is-more-relaxing-than-meditating
  10. https://www.customs.govt.nz/about-us/news/social-media-posts/the-power-of-reliving-positive-memories-through-photos
  11. https://www.mentalhealth.com/tools/science-of-affirmations#
  12. Korb, Alex. (2015) The Upward Spiral. New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
  13. Fredrickson, B.L. & Joiner, T. (2002). Positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. Psychological Science, 13(2): 172-175.
  14. Michael A Cohn, Barbara L Fredrickson, Stephanie L Brown, Joseph A Mikels, Anne M Conway (2009). Happiness unpacked: positive emotions increase life satisfaction by building resilience