Accumulate Positives Worksheet
This worksheet helps you use the accumulate positives skill from DBT emotion regulation. The idea is straightforward: a life with more positive experiences is more resilient against emotional crises. But positive experiences don't just happen—you have to build them deliberately, especially when depression or stress makes everything feel flat.
Accumulate positives has two time frames: short-term (daily pleasant activities) and long-term (goals aligned with your values). This worksheet covers both.
How to Use This Worksheet
Part 1: Short-Term — Daily Pleasant Activities
Step 1: Build your pleasant activities list. Brainstorm 15-20 activities that bring you some level of enjoyment, comfort, or satisfaction. Include a range—some take 5 minutes, some take an hour. Some are free, some cost money. Some are social, some are solo.
Step 2: Schedule one per day. Don't leave it to chance. Put it on your calendar or to-do list. Treat it as an appointment you keep with yourself.
Step 3: Be mindful during the activity. This is the part most people skip. When you're doing the pleasant thing, do it fully. Notice the sensory details. Don't check your phone. Let yourself enjoy it without guilt.
Step 4: Log it. Note what you did, how long, and how it affected your mood.
Part 2: Long-Term — Values-Based Goals
Step 1: Identify your values. What matters to you? (Relationships, creativity, health, career, learning, community, spirituality, adventure?)
Step 2: Set one goal per value. Make it specific and achievable within 1-3 months.
Step 3: Break the goal into steps. Each step should be small enough to complete in a single day.
Step 4: Take one step per week. Consistent progress toward meaningful goals builds a life you want to live—which is the deepest form of emotional resilience.
Filled-Out Example
Short-Term Log
| Day | Pleasant Activity | Duration | Mood Before | Mood After | Mindful? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Walked to the park and sat with coffee | 20 min | 3/10 | 5/10 | Yes — noticed the temperature, the taste, the dog running nearby |
| Tue | Listened to favorite album while cooking | 40 min | 4/10 | 6/10 | Mostly — caught myself checking texts twice, put phone in another room |
| Wed | Called a friend I haven't talked to in weeks | 25 min | 3/10 | 7/10 | Yes — gave the conversation my full attention |
| Thu | Drew for 20 minutes (haven't drawn in months) | 20 min | 2/10 | 5/10 | Yes — terrible drawing but the process felt good |
| Fri | Took a long hot shower with nice soap | 15 min | 4/10 | 6/10 | Yes — noticed the warmth, the scent, slowed down |
Long-Term Plan
| Value | Goal | Next Step | Target Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relationships | Rebuild friendship with Sarah | Text her this week to set up a coffee date | This month |
| Health | Run a 5K | Run/walk 15 minutes 3x this week | 3 months |
| Creativity | Fill one sketchbook | Draw for 15 minutes, 4 days this week | 2 months |
Common Mistakes
Waiting to feel motivated. Accumulate positives works even when—especially when—you don't feel like doing anything pleasant. The action often precedes the mood improvement, not the other way around.
Choosing only passive activities. Scrolling social media, watching TV, and online shopping provide stimulation but rarely build lasting positive emotion. Mix in active pleasures: creating, moving, connecting, learning.
Not being mindful during the activity. If you eat your favorite meal while scrolling the news, you barely register the pleasure. The mindfulness is what converts an activity into an emotional resource.
Neglecting the long-term component. Short-term pleasant activities buffer daily mood. But long-term values-based goals are what make life feel meaningful. Both components are needed for full emotional resilience.
Digital Alternative
Tracking pleasant activities on paper works until it doesn't—and it usually stops working within two weeks. DBT Pal makes logging daily pleasures quick, tracks your mood shifts, and helps you see which activities consistently improve your emotional state.
Track positive activities with DBT Pal
Download DBT PalRelated Worksheets
- Build Mastery Worksheet — The competence-building complement to positive experiences
- PLEASE Skill Worksheet — Physical self-care as another foundation for emotional stability
- Emotion Regulation Worksheet — The full emotion regulation toolkit
For printable worksheets, visit DBT Worksheets PDF Free.
FAQ
What is accumulate positives? A DBT emotion regulation skill with two parts: short-term (daily pleasant activities) and long-term (values-based goals). Both build a life with more positive experiences that buffer against emotional crises.
How is this different from "just do things that make you happy"? It's deliberate and structured—planning activities, being mindful during them, and connecting daily actions to long-term values. Passive happiness is unreliable; this skill builds it on purpose.
What if nothing feels pleasant right now? Start with activities that used to feel pleasant. Do them anyway. The pleasure response often returns with repeated exposure, even when motivation is absent.
How many pleasant activities per day? At least one. It can be small—5 minutes of a song you like, good coffee, sitting outside. Consistency over intensity.