According to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic. This can span anywhere from 18 to 254 days. Thankfully, when cultivating gratitude, I probably fell within the 18 days group. Within weeks, the avalanche of bad memories (here, and here) stopped. These days, even when the memories resurface, they no longer have a crippling effect on me. I soon began testing the gratitude + neuroplasticity + meditation + writing therapy combination on domains of life I felt needed change. 

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all of the others.” 
– Cicero

It rapidly became clear to me that Cicero was right. Although Positive Psychology groups gratitude as a strength under the virtue of ‘Transcendence’, I’m inclined to brush this off as mere technicalities. 

As Revel blossomed under this combination, so did my desire to keep learning, researching and simplifying these to be applicable easily for everyone. So when May Li from GML Gallery reached out to me in mid-2022 suggesting we collaborated on a planner, I said yes! After countless free consultations with our shoppers, assembling my teachings into a practical toolkit had been brewing in my mind for some time. But I was reluctant to take on this momental project alone, and I knew that if I dragged this out, I might not have the time for it in 2023 #PSLEparent (Google ‘Singapore PSLE pressure’). 

With the ‘yes’ – I finally had a solid reason to sit down and pour my ideas and solutions into a singular framework. Let’s be honest. It didn’t happen in one sitting. I scribbled notes in between appointments at work. I typed emails to myself on my hour-long commute to and fro work. I mind mapped every time inspiration struck over my long walks. I talked to friends, customers, social media acquaintances, my colleagues, delivery folks, – just about anyone who expressed interest in my project. I not only wanted a solution built on scientific researches and facts, I wanted something simple enough for everyone to be able to understand how it works and allow it to help them. I wanted to everyone to experience the life-changing-so-happy-so-free-I-can-fly-I-am-finally-free-from-the-clutches effects of gratitude and the many strategies of positive psychology. I wanted to create something that would empower people to help themselves. 

Enter PERMA

Positive Emotions 

Engagement / Flow

Relationships

Meaning

Accomplishments

Gratitude + Neuroplasticity + Meditation + Writing therapy + PERMA

The PERMA Model  represents the five core elements of happiness and well-being. It is natural and human of us to continuously seek for what makes us happy, regardless of our age, orientation, and status in life. 

But remember – (to rephrase Cicero a little), gratitude is the parent of it all.