Why doesn’t positive thinking ever work for me? Something wrong with me? As it turned out, Richard Wiseman, the author of 59 Seconds, by research results that positive thinking doesn’t work.

But why? Let’s try something, trust me it wont’ hurt.
Don’t think of the pink elephant.

Are you NOT thinking of the pink elephant? Of course you are. That’s why suppressing negative thoughts doesn’t work. You see, for us to NOT DO something, we first have to FOCUS on the something for us to not do. There is no way our minds can get away from it.

So, what can I do to be happy? Prof. Wiseman provides the solutions in the “Happiness” chapter of 59 Seconds.

One suggestion is to behave like a happy person, then the happiness will come — smile (thinking happy thoughts helps); sit-up; act happy (walk/talk like a happy person). Wow, who knew pretending to be happy can make us happy!

The 5-day journaling method is my favorite, being a writer and all. Each day, he gives you something to write about. You only need to write for 59 seconds but I just wrote until I felt like stopping. He says the happiness will last a few months and it does!

Before my first entry on 7/25/11, I was frustrated with myself and how things in my life just won’t move forward. Now, almost 2 months later, the frustration hasn’t returned, even though things are still moving in a leisurely pace.

59 Seconds to Happiness? Yes, it can happen!