"Your Fully Charged Life" Author Meaghan Murphy On How Chatbooks Boost Her Mood
In the February edition of the "You Got This" newsletter, our special guest editor shares all the deets on how to feel 1,000 times more energized.
In a series of experiments, researchers at Harvard Business School found that people underestimate how much they’ll value rediscovering experiences from their past, even the ordinary ones. Go ahead, be shameless—remember to put yourself in the frame once in a while. Your loved ones will appreciate those snaps later, too.
My kids roll their eyes and call me “momarazzi” when I whip out my phone, but sorry, not sorry. Nobody looks back at photos of everyday life and thinks, I really don’t need these. (Except videos of concerts—does anyone ever rewatch those?!)
University of California researchers found that taking daily snapshots of things that make you smile boost levels of happiness and energy. Study participants said it made them more appreciative, especially of family members.
It’s about as close to time travel as we can get, because snapshots help you tap into memories. And reminiscing in detail about specific positive memories is a positivity pill—it can reduce stress, increase activity in the part of your brain related to emotion regulation and more.
Dust off your digital archives, separate your photos into highlight reel folders and print them into Chatbooks. Then, when you’re feeling low, go through them. Whenever I’m down in the dumps, leafing through a Chatbook feels like I’m mainlining a cocktail of joy, optimism and gratitude cut with love.
Pick up a copy of Meaghan’s book and follow her on Instagram!
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