Why Keeping a ‘Happy Box’ Can Be Your Antidote For Crappy Days
A low-effort way to bring some light to a dark day
Today started wrong.
I again woke up to a crocodile-related nightmare way before my body felt rested, adding to the sleep-deprived state I’d been sporting this past week. Groggy-eyed, I checked my phone to see if my sister had replied to a text I’d sent her the night before, right after a heated argument.
She hadn’t.
Feeling tired and rejected, I wobbled out of my bedroom. My legs hurt, an uncomfortable and unusual pain that started a few weeks ago. The doctor appointment is a few days away, so I can do nothing right now except worry (I have hypochondriac tendencies).
As it was extremely early (4 AM), I decided to write.
Great, I thought. I’ll get a head start today and maybe nap afterward.
An hour passed, then two, then three. The blank page stared at me mockingly. Try as I might, I couldn’t conjure up a single idea, a single word.
At 7.30 AM, I finally gave up and returned to my bedroom (I thankfully start work at noon). And right as I set my head on my comfy pillow, my eyelids heavy, my skull ringing after so many restless nights, my neighbors started drilling and hammering and whatever else they’re doing up there.
I screamed.
I was exhausted, in pain, and anxious. Though I’m sure the “bad” start of my day is amazing compared to other people’s, when I’m sleep-deprived, everything seems dark.
That’s why I have a “happy box”.
The “Happy Box”, a Guaranteed Way To Make You Smile
Nearing my limit, I headed to my wardrobe and extracted my shoe-sized “happy box”.
A sigh escaped me as I studied the contents. From sweet handwritten letters my husband wrote to me back when we were dating to pictures of my graduation day, my “happy box” holds my happiest memories.
Year after year, I make sure to add something to it: the cork of the wine bottle we had for our anniversary, the tickets to a concert we enjoyed, and whatever serves as a reminder of how great life can be.
Though my “happy box” would sell for nothing, it’s my most prized possession. After going through it today, I took a deep breath, brewed myself a cup of tea, and sat down to write.
Most importantly, my “happy box” made me stop wanting to kill my neighbors.
Why It Works
The “happy box” concept is based on Martin Seligman’s bestselling book, Authentic Happiness. Centered on Positive Psychology, it offers techniques to gear our minds toward the brighter things in life. Instead of focusing on solving psychological problems, it hopes to make people’s lives happier.
One of such techniques is similar to the “happy box”. In his book, Seligman encourages us to keep pictures or things that remind us of happy times so that we can check them during hard days and remember that life isn’t so bad.
Put simply, the “happy box” works because it helps us gain perspective. Helps helps us break negative thought loops.
The Sun Is Still Shining Outside of the Dark Tunnel
A crappy day can feel like being stuck in an endless tunnel. The air is stale. The eerie swoosh of the wind outside seems threatening. And every dark crevice and crack looks like the nest of a dangerous creature (maybe this is just me).
But keeping and checking your “happy box” when you’re down can ward off negative emotions.
Its pictures, old tickets, and handwritten letters are reminders that the sun is still shining out there. Maybe you can’t see it or feel its warmth as you push through the darkness, but at the most unexpected moment, you’ll reach the exit and return to the light.
