This article has one of the best starts ever.

You know why older people are happier?

Research shows as we age we remember the good and forget the bad:

…older people shown pictures of faces or situations tend to focus on and remember the happier ones more and the negative ones less. [Science Daily]

Yeah, that's all it takes. So if you could just regularly get reminders of the good things in your life, well, you'd be halfway there…

And it's not speculation — research shows thinking about the good things actually does make you happier. Reminders, something as simple as a post-it note, are very powerful — and for more than just remembering to buy milk. Studies show simple reminders help people act more ethically, quit smoking, and save more money. And a couple well placed post-it notes can have a major impact for you too.

A while back I posted about how just sending five simple emails a day can improve your life. Here are five little reminders that can help you create big changes:

1) Happiness

Make note of three things you're thankful for.

We think of happiness as something deep and profound but it's often as simple as keeping the good things "top of mind."

This technique has been proven again and again and again. Here it is, explained by its originator, University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman.

Write down three things that went well today and why they went well…Writing about why the positive events in your life happened may seem awkward at first, but please stick with it for one week. It will get easier. The odds are that you will be less depressed, happier, and addicted to this exercise six months from now. [Flourish : A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being]

Here's what's really fascinating: The opposite works, too. Keep a record of bad things and you'll make yourself increasingly miserable.

It helps to remember that.

Now, read the rest:

http://theweek.com/article/index/264819/how-5-post-it-notes-can-make-you-happy-confident-and-successful