--- title: How 5 Post-It Notes Can Make You Happy, Confident and Successful description: Little Reminders Create Big Changes You know why older people are happier? Research shows as we age we remember the good and forget the bad:... canonical: https://time.com/120425/how-5-post-it-notes-can-make-you-happy-confident-and-successful/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-28T04:01:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:54:10.168Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How 5 Post-It Notes Can Make You Happy, Confident and Successful og:description: Little Reminders Create Big Changes You know why older people are happier? Research shows as we age we remember the good and forget the bad:... og:url: https://time.com/120425/how-5-post-it-notes-can-make-you-happy-confident-and-successful/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How 5 Post-It Notes Can Make You Happy, Confident and Successful twitter:description: Little Reminders Create Big Changes You know why older people are happier? Research shows as we age we remember the good and forget the bad:... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # How 5 Post-It Notes Can Make You Happy, Confident and Successful by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker May 28, 2014 4:01 AM UTC by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker May 28, 2014 4:01 AM UTC ## Little Reminders Create Big Changes You know why older people are happier? Research shows as we age we [remember the good and forget the bad](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/01/why-are-older-people-happier/): 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](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/09/how-to-live-a-happy-life/). **Reminders, something as simple as a post-it note,** [**are very powerful**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/07/whats-the-trick-to-self-control-better-habits/) **– and for more than just remembering to buy milk.** **Studies show simple reminders help people** [**act more ethically**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/03/can-teddy-bears-make-you-more-ethical/)**,** [**quit smoking, and save more money**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/08/can-text-messages-make-you-healthier-and-rich/)**.** **And a couple well placed post-it notes can have a major impact foryou too.** A while back I posted about how just [sending 5 simple emails a day can improve your life](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/). 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](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/was-grandmom-right-about-counting-your-blessi) and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-quick-little-things-you-can-do-to-in) and [again](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-any-of-this-make-yourself-happier-stuff). Here it is, explained by its originator, University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman. Via [Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439190763/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1439190763): Here’s what’s really fascinating: **the opposite works too. Keep a record of bad things and you’ll make yourself increasingly miserable.** Patients with chronic pain were told to keep track of all the awful symptoms they experienced. They did — [and felt dramatically worse](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/08/whats-something-that-can-make-you-absolutely/): **Stop thinking you need more good stuff to happen to be happier — and just remind yourself of the good that’s already here.** (More on how to be happy [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/here-are-the-things-that-are-proven-to-make-y/).) ## 2) CONFIDENCE **Make a note of a couple accomplishments you’re most proud of.** What does University of Chicago psychology professor [Sian Beilock](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416596178/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20) recommend when you’re not feeling so great about yourself? **Look at your resume.** Reviewing your credentials can remind you how talented you are and boost confidence levels. Via [Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416596178/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20): **Your resume is designed to make you sound impressive to others — and it can have the same effect on you.** (More ways to be more confident [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-be-more-confident/).) ## 3) OPTIMISM **Scribble down something you’re looking forward to.** Looking forward to something is powerful. It makes us hopeful, happier and optimistic. Anticipation can actually be more pleasurable [than getting the thing you’re anticipating](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/8-ways-that-money-can-buy-happiness?): **Got nothing you’re looking forward to? No problem. Make some fun plans — and then write** **_those_** **down.** (More on how to feel satisfied with life [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/03/satisfied-with-your-life/).) ## 4) MEANING IN LIFE **Write down a favorite memory that makes you feel good.** Research shows we can add a feeling of meaning to our lives by [being nostalgic](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2011/12/how-can-you-increase-your-sense-of-meaning-in/): **When life doesn’t make sense, get lost in that memory for a little while. Nostalgia restores a sense of purpose when times are hard.** (More on how to add meaning to your life [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/03/4-steps-meaningful-life/).) ## 5) SUCCESS **Write down the name of a hero you admire.** [Dan Coyle](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/most-successful-people/), author of [The Talent Code](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0026OR1UK/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0026OR1UK&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20), says that one of the best things we can do is [think more about the people we want to be like](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/most-successful-people/): The hero doesn’t even have to be a _real person_. Batman? Wolverine? They’ll do just fine. Even fictional characters we admire [motivate us to be like them](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/do-we-become-more-like-the-fictional-characte/): Did you have a superhero poster on your bedroom wall when you were a kid? You were on to something. ;) (More things research says can make you successful [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/most-successful-people/).) ## SUM UP Five post-it notes. Five reminders. That’s all it takes to add a bit more happiness, confidence, optimism, meaning and success to your life. **Sometimes you need something to make you feel lucky.** **Sometimes you just need to be reminded that you already are.** **Join 45K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). Related posts: [4 Lifehacks From Ancient Philosophers That Will Make You Happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/ancient-philosophers/) [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/) [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/120425/how-5-post-it-notes-can-make-you-happy-confident-and-successful/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/120425/how-5-post-it-notes-can-make-you-happy-confident-and-successful/"},"headline":"How 5 Post-It Notes Can Make You Happy, Confident and Successful","datePublished":"2014-05-28T04:01:36.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:54:10.168Z","description":"Little Reminders Create Big Changes You know why older people are happier? 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