Today’s Tip: Feel Happier With A Simple 2 Minute Habit

Here is a two-minute, science-backed, simple system that will help you get on track whenever you start to feel anxiety spike, or mental overload creep in.

This practice is called Rose, Rose, Thorn, Bud. You can do this habit solo, or with friends and family, and it can help make you feel happier, and more at peace, every single day.

1. Highlight small pleasures 

Start by writing down your first Rose. It’s something your grateful for from the day, no matter how small. This could be something like getting to a meeting late but the boss getting there even later. Or the half hour of silence you got when the kids were napping.

The second Rose is another small win or tiny pleasure from the day, like how cold and refreshing the shower was at the end of your run, or when your favourite song came on the radio.

Science shows that acknowledging these “roses” are good for our overall well-being.

2. Process moments of hardship

Next, it’s time for a Thorn: something that didn’t go well, a moment of suffering, or the hardest part of the day. This could be something like still not hearing back from the doctor, getting into a fight with a family member or falling into a social media hole.

We need space to vent, process, be heard and move through the emotion.

Thorns are good for us in a different way. Think of sharing thorns as helping to clarify and ultimately let go of what challenges us.

Writing about emotional experiences, including negative ones, improves well-being and reduces stress. When you are coping with trauma, sharing negative emotions can help the healing process, research shows.

3. Identify something to look forward to

Finally, a Bud: something to anticipate and get excited about. It can be tonight, this weekend or even fifty years from now!

This could be making a stack of pancakes on Saturday, or renting a villa in Morocco when you turn one hundred.

Doing this habit every day is like wiping a wet cloth over the blackboard of your mind. It’s a routine that helps connect, share and reflect.