Wellbeing Story: Nolitha

Meet Nolitha
Nolitha was in a bad car accident several years ago and suffered a major shoulder injury that required
surgery. Ever since, she has felt that her outlook on life has become much more negative. She doesn’t
see friends and family very often and her physical activity has decreased. She recently told her physical
therapist, “It feels like my life has been sucked into some sort of negative vortex.”

Nolitha’s introduction to mindfulness

Reading the book 10% Happier made Nolitha interested in how mindfulness might help her reconnect
with some of the everyday happiness she used to experience in her life.

Mindfulness education
After reading the book, Nolitha enrolled in a 10% Happier course, then began watching the video lessons
and practicing the guided meditations. She also starting chatting with a course coach who pointed out
her growing sense of humor with each week in the course.

Reflections on mindfulness
Nolitha says that mindfulness helped her reconnect to a sense of possibility and joy in her life. She
learned that keeping her attention in the present moment helps her avoid constantly revisiting the car
accident in her mind, which always negatively impacted her mood. Instead, she started noticing what
was possible in her life and that there were lots of everyday pleasant moments that made her happy.
For example, she recently reconnected with her aunt who loved to play card games and tell jokes. She
also started savoring the small moments of joy in her day, such as her cat Leeta who always sat in her
lap in the morning while she enjoyed her cup of coffee.

Nolitha’s advice to others

“My mindfulness coach told me, ‘You have to be present to notice the pleasant.’ Learning to notice and
appreciate small, everyday pleasant moments has positively impacted my mood and wellbeing. If I don’t
intentionally take time to connect with others and cultivate moments of everyday wellbeing, then I
become unhappy.”

Practice recommendation
Nolitha likes the pleasant events journal because it reminds her to be intentional about noticing at least
one pleasant event every day. Before she goes to bed, she records her one pleasant event and the
thoughts, feelings, and sensations accompanying it. Even if it was a really terrible day, taking the time to
reflect on something pleasant that happened reminds her that life is a mixture of ups and downs.

Reference
Harris, D. (2014). 10% Happier: How I tamed the voice in my head, reduced stress without losing my
edge, and found self-help that actually works – a true story. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

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