Happyfeed

I want to share with you the best app on any of my devices, Happyfeed. I discovered this app while researching and writing a chapter on Mindfulness and Gratitude. I wanted to find some way of practicing gratitude daily that would stick. For me, writing in a gratitude journal was inconsistent. I would often forget to do it for several days and then lose the momentum that I had created.

While researching gratitude I discovered that there were apps to practice gratitude.

Of course there were, I was shocked I never thought of this before. So I downloaded a bunch of them and explored. Eventually I stumbled upon Happyfeed and within minutes knew that this one was the best for me.

What I loved about this app was that I could set notifications that would nudge me to journal three things I was grateful for throughout the day. I set these notifications to remind me near the end of each day before bed. It was a great way to end each day focusing on something positive.

Another aspect that I love about Happyfeed is that you can set it to track how many days you have used it in a row. Personally I find this very motivating. Once you have a long streak going, you want to keep it going. Since I downloaded this app, I have used it every day since. Currently as I am writing this, my streak is over 630 days with no intention of stopping.

Beyond the features built in that help to make this a sustainable habit, it is very easy to use. Each day you are provided w ith three blank boxes that prompt you to write something that you are grateful for. Within these boxes you can add text, emojis and images from your phone.

Another great feature is the Happiness Jar. When you click on this and shake your phone, it will select a random moment from your Happyfeed and display it for you. I find when I am struggling and feeling down, I click on the happiness jar and enjoy reliving the moments that I posted. It is a great feature!

One of my goals is to make my device a positive addition to my life. If I am going to invest time using this technology, I want it to be meaningful and I want it to make me happier. Happyfeed does just that.

Obviously Happyfeed is designed for person reflection, however it could be used by a staff to improve school morale. Taking a part in the 30 day gratitude challenge as a staff would be a great way to get others using it. There are even Happiness Pods build in that will allow you to share your success with your peers.

Once you feel the power of practicing gratitude through Happyfeed you will want to share it with your students. Perhaps set up an account that you complete as a class at the end of the day. Have students share three things they were grateful for during the day and post it. At the end of the week, take time to review all of the things you and your class were grateful for. Hopefully, by using this with your class, they will want to practice gratitude on their personal devices.

I truly believe practicing gratitude daily is one of the best ways to stay positive and to find more happiness in our lives. If you want to build this into your life, try Happyfeed as it makes is fun and easy! Best app on my phone!

Thanks for joining us, and remember to Strive for happiness in Education, you deserve it!