A philosophy and framework for creating joy and wellbeing, regardless of what life brings.
Change your thinking to change your life.
Learn how to begin in just ten minutes a day.
Start Here
Build an Appreciative Mindset in 7 Days
Daily 10-minute practices designed to lower your stress, cope better with life challenges, and improve your happiness, relationships, self-worth, and overall wellbeing.
“At a time when it feels there is so little we can control on the world stage—politically, socially, ecologically—the appreciative mindset is an invaluable resource for staying afloat.” – Challenge Participant
Participants report meaningful shifts including the following:
Founder of Appreciative Living.
I wake up sluggish, and after a few minutes of practice it felt like the sunrise of a new day!”
“I realize I have everything I need to live a full and vibrant life filled with love and joy. It is my responsibility to find joy in everyday living and loving.“
“I can stop doing things that don’t work anymore and spend more time doing what I want to do.“
What is Appreciative Living?
Appreciative Living is a philosophy and set of integrated frameworks for personal transformation focused on creating sustainable joy and wellbeing. It was created in 2005 by Jackie Kelm, known as “the Joy Engineer.”
It rests on the premise that thinking drives life experience, as shown in the Transformation Mechanism chart. The core mechanism for change is thinking, which shifts emotional experience, altering identity and life experience. Thinking includes beliefs, framing, and focus, so Appreciative Living is a belief-based approach to change.
The Transformation Mechanism
When thinking changes, everything downstream follows.
Experience Appreciative Living
In the 7-Day Challenge You Will:
Day 1 – Feel better overall by seeing the good you’re currently missing.
Day 2 – Feel better about yourself by seeing the good you’re minimizing
Day 3 – Get new insights on a current challenge by learning to reframe it
Day 4 – Get clear on what you really want in life and why it matters
Day 5 – Learn how to improve each day with a 5-minute exercise
Day 6 – Improve a difficult relationship or make a good one even better
Day 7 – Integrate your progress from the week to help improvements last
You’ll then receive occassional emails (typically less than once a week) with Appreciative Living tips and techniques to continue your joy journey along with free webinars, and early access to pilot programs and insider opportunities.
Your email is safe with us. We never share or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Just 10 minutes a day to begin changing your thinking and life!
Challenge participants experienced a Significant increase in overall wellbeing and 91% said they would continue doing some form of the practices going forward.
“I have restarted exercise with the mindset of celebrating what I accomplish, rather than focusing on what I did not do as consistently as I planned.”
The Frameworks & Philosophy
The 7-Day Challenge is the best place to begin learning about Appreciative Living.
To gain a deeper understanding, explore the core elements below.
What Is Appreciative Living?
A philosophy and framework for creating sustainable joy and wellbeing by changing how you think to change your life.
The Appreciative Mindset
The core thinking orientation underlying Appreciative Living and it’s frameworks.
The Rapid Change Process
The core 4-step framework of Appreciative Living for making deep, long-term, sustainable life changes.
The Habit Breaker Technique
The flagship tool within the Rapid Change Process for stopping the urges driving compulsive habits like gaming, sugar, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to ignore problems?
No, Appreciative Living does not ignore challenges and negative experiences. It uses them directly as catalysts for change to create deep and meaningful transformation.
How is Appreciative Living different than positive thinking or gratitude lists?
Appreciative Living uses science-backed frameworks and techniques to create deep internal shifts that go well beyond the surface improvements that can be generated through gratitude practices or positive thinking approaches.
Is Appreciative Living therapy?
No, it is a coaching tool for helping people move forward in life and overcome unwanted habits.
Where has this been used?
Appreciative Living has been used by thousands of people over 20 years in coaching, workshops, webinars, and more. It has also been embraced by organizations such as Keurig Green Mountain Coffee and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Several universities use the Appreciative Living books in undergraduate and masters programs, including Pepperdine University and Champlain College.
Where did Appreciative Living come from?
Appreciative Living was created by Jackie Kelm in 2005. She adapted the principles of Appreciative Inquiry, along with insights from neuroscience and behavior change, to develop a philosophy and integrated framework for creating sustainable joy and wellbeing.
Who is Jackie Kelm?
Jackie Kelm, known as “The Joy Engineer,” is the founder of Appreciative Living. She created the framework in 2005 and has spent over two decades helping individuals and organizations create sustainable joy and belief-level change using neuroscience-informed approaches. She is the author of two books on Appreciative Living, with a third in development.
