This year, my family decided to start our own “jar of positivity.” Every week, we each write something positive on a small sticky note, date it, and stick it in the jar. At the end of the year, my family will open the jar and read all of the positive notes we left throughout our 2017.
This jar highlights the best moments of the year. The negativity and unfortunate events that comes hand in hand with any year aren’t represented by this jar and won’t ruin the joy we remember at the end of the year. This jar will allow our family to share the great memories we each made, will allow us to forget any bad moments that creeped into our year as well.
Not only does the happiness jar give us time together to revel in our memories at the end of the year, but each week it forces us to remember the best moment from that week. It forces us to reminisce, even for a short second, on the best thing we experienced over the course of the week, and brings back that feeling from the week.
It takes less than a minute to write down your happy memory, and at the end of the year, you’ll be glad you chose to save your jar of positivity. Elizabeth Gilbert, the “creator” of the happiness jar, says that not only are you able to relish in your positivity for that day or week, but you also see how recording you happy memories has a lasting benefit.
Maybe you don’t even use a jar. Maybe you scrapbook your week, with photos of you happiness throughout the week. Or maybe you start a secret Pinterest board with positive quotes and pictures that inspired you that week. Or maybe it’s as simple as writing your happy moment in a notebook. Whatever inspires you to save your happy moments, go for it.
Your jar doesn’t have to be a jar for the entire year. You could create a jar for each month, much like actress and dancer Julianne Hough, who started her own version of the jar of positivity. On her blog, Jules, she wrote that every time something “smile-worthy” happened, she would write it down and place it in the jar. At the end of the month, she would pour out her jar and read all the great moments she had.
Your jar doesn’t need to be fancy (you could even use an empty pickle jar), but with this you have a way to save your best memories. You have a way to re-experience all the great feelings you had and moments you loved. No matter what you do with your jar, I hope you decide to choose positivity.
