This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, We Get Better: 48 Treatment Options for Chronic Depression.

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Treatment option 36: Practicing gratitude

Here’s a depression treatment that you can start right now: get a notebook and begin a gratitude journal. Though some people find this often-recommended strategy a tad simplistic, listing things you’re thankful for on a daily basis is shown to improve mood to a statistically significant degree. In one study conducted by the aforementioned psychologist Martin Seligman, severely depressed people were instructed to record three good things that happened each day. Within fifteen days 94 percent experienced significant relief from their symptoms.

The idea here is simple: we see what we look for. Regularly scanning our memories for positive moments and noticing our daily blessings teaches our brains to continue this practice throughout the day. Don’t worry–doing so won’t make you a crystal-carrying, aura-sensing mystic; at most, it will help you clarify what makes you happy and maybe make you a bit more pleasant to be around. And you have to be around yourself a lot.

Note that practicing gratitude isn’t the same as practicing toxic positivity, which is about ignoring or avoiding uncomfortable experiences. We can feel and honor our feelings while also moving away from unhelpful thought patterns that distort our view of reality.

If desired, add “practicing gratitude” to your depression treatment plan. Then decide on next steps and write them on your to-do lists.

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