Most mental health efforts focus on reducing suffering, whether that be easing anxiety, managing intrusive thoughts, or questioning the harsh self-judgments that drive depression and other emotional problems. It’s important work, but only half the story.

As CBT expert Dr Michelle Craske notes, many people still feel flat even after their worst symptoms ease. Life becomes tolerable, but not enjoyable.
That’s because while it’s fine to focus on subtraction (getting rid of bad feelings), therapy must also focus on addition (building positive well-being). Mental wellness requires more than just minimising the negative.

Craske’s research highlights the importance of the brain’s reward system, the part that makes life worth engaging with. It’s the same system that drives every animal to seek food, shelter, social connection and affection. When it goes quiet, as it often does in depression or chronic stress, curiosity and motivation fade, and we stop reaching out to life.
People living with anxiety or depression still encounter good moments, says Craske, but they don’t necessarily feel them as much. The person’s brain under-reacts to rewards.

Craske’s approach, which she calls positive affect treatment (PAT), aims to help that system tune back in, to notice and register small sparks of enjoyment as they happen. PAT emphasises the importance of three elements: anticipation, enjoying, and learning.

Example

For example, imagine a couple plans a weekend trip to a nearby town they’ve never visited. That’s anticipation.

While there, they explore new streets, try local food, and feel happy and relaxed. That’s enjoyment.

Afterwards, they reflect that planning small getaways like this makes weekends feel more refreshing. That’s learning.

Let’s start with anticipation, which can be a joy in itself. Unfortunately, depression, anxiety, or long-term stress can cause that spark to fade. You may stop expecting much from life, so you stop trying.

Rebuilding anticipation is important, because anticipating something good can be as rewarding as experiencing it. Simply having something to look forward to, whether that’s a walk, meeting someone, or learning something new, can switch the brain’s motivation circuits back on.

The next step is enjoyment. It’s not enough to plan for something rewarding, we must also fully experience it when it happens. Craske encourages pausing long enough to let positive experiences land: the first sip of coffee in the morning, feeling sunlight on your face, or enjoying a laugh with someone you care about. Even a few extra seconds of awareness can help.

A key element here is savouring. Don’t think that savouring is about forced cheerfulness or pretending life is perfect. No, it’s simply a way of giving the mind time to properly register the good stuff. The capacity for pleasure gradually returns, and life begins to feel more alive again.
Bringing anticipation and enjoyment together, some simple tips include paying mindful attention to things that feel pleasant and naming them in the moment; planning small enjoyable activities into your day, even brief ones; and when something feels good, lingering on it mentally for half a minute or so before moving on.

The third part is learning. That means paying attention to which experiences actually make us feel good and using that insight to guide future behaviour. It’s not just about enjoying a moment, but about recognising what created it.

Thus, after a positive experience, pause to mentally note what made it enjoyable. This simple reflection helps your brain encode the experience for future motivation.
For example, after a walk with a friend lifts your mood, you might notice that both the activity and the company matter. That awareness makes it more likely you’ll plan another walk, or reach out to someone else for connection.
Similarly, acts of kindness, gratitude, or meaningful connection teach the brain that engagement with others is rewarding.

Small acts of reflection like this: noticing what works, remembering it, and repeating it, gradually build habits of engagement and connection, turning fleeting pleasures into a steady source of well-being. By doing more of what works, you strengthen the brain’s reward circuits, making it easier to anticipate and enjoy positive experiences in the future.

To repeat, it’s not enough to subtract the negatives in life. We also need to work on adding back the positives, so that life begins to feel like life again.