Harnessing Power You Didn't Know You Had

In the conclusion of Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's book NURTURE SHOCK, they talk about a couple of specific experiments that made me start to think about ways we can harness power we already have.
In one study college students were asked to keep a gratitude journal for 10 weeks. Every week they had to list five things that they were grateful for that week. The results were "surprisingly powerful-the students who kept the gratitude journal were 25% happier, were more optimistic about the future and got sick less often during the controlled trial. They even got more exercise."
In a subsequent study college students were asked to write in a gratitude journal every day for two weeks and questionnaires about the participants were sent to their close friends. Did this activity change how they interacted with others?
"The answer was a confident yes. Their friends had noticed them being more helpful and emotionally supportive."
A similar experiment was conducted with 6th and 7th graders, but with control groups and "alternative" control groups.
One of the alternative control groups was asked to write down 5 "hassles" that had occurred each day. This group was created to study the possible effects of dwelling on the negative. These kids displayed a definite "bummed out" state of mind through the study.

The point of my sharing this information is this: there is great power in the act of writing things down. It has taken me 40+ years to realize this, but if I make a plan for each day, week, month and, yes, year and actually take pencil to paper (Very important! Typing a plan or list on the computer does not seem to have the same power) ... my chances for success are greatly multiplied.
In addition:
listing the things that need to be done can help you sleep. (Your brain can relax knowing the business is written down and will not be forgotten)

Affirmations (though they have always seemed a bit feel-goody, cheesy to me) tell your brain good things about you.

Big plans like saving or paying off a credit card or designing at home educational curriculum for your children actually start to happen once you sit down and start brainstorming and formulating a plan on paper.

AND as we just learned, listing things you are grateful for can help you focus on what's great about your life and make you happier and healthier.

WRITE IT DOWN and start enjoying having the power to actually make it all happen!