A Better Question for Better Mental Health

It’s one of my least liked questions in the world, and yet it seems so innocent. “How was your day?” Ask me that and I immediately examine the hours since I crawled out of bed – the frustrations, the irritations, the disappointments, the accomplishments. All put under scrutiny as I try to respond to your simple question...

I’m guilty of it too. The polite, caring question posed to my husband or one of my kids or grandkids. “How was your day?” Whether your day was great or so-so, the question forces a person to hash over the good, the bad and the ugly. By the time you’ve thought it through, you might be sliding towards depression because the bad seems to outweigh any good!
 
And so, I went on a search to find a better question. Here it is:
 
“What was your favorite part of the day?”
 
Ask me this and immediately my mind goes on a different path. I begin to look for something good in my day. A favorite moment, a fun experience. Something to be thankful for. 
 
It could be as simple as a sweet text from a friend or as complex as a Zoom meeting that went better than I hoped.
 
What about you? How would you respond if I asked, “What was your favorite part of the day?”
 
Even if you’ve had a tough day, there’s got to be some silver lining, some bright spot. If nothing else, maybe it was that first cup of coffee you sipped eight hours ago!
 
The point is that when we look for a favorite part of our day, we cultivate a thankful attitude. Instead of critically examining every moment, we search out the happy times, no matter how minuscule. Thankfulness and gratitude ultimately lead to a better mental state, a healthier outlook on life.
 
Try it out and let me know how it goes. I’d be interested to know if it makes a difference in your day.
 
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV
 
 
Photo by dominik hofbauer on Unsplas