The Secret To Happiness

I have a little notebook. Every so often I'll write in it, but the truth is that I just really like to buy new notebooks, and I always convince myself that I will carry it around everywhere and write down everything that I think of. That never happens.

But I have found a good purpose for this particular notebook that you might want to try.

On the recommendation of a good friend of mine, I started to make a list of everything that I am thankful for, in any aspect of life. So far my list is up to 283.

Why is this so great? It'll change your life. Just try it. Here's an excerpt from the middle of my list as it is today:

• Vintage photographs
• Old men that are really funny
• Stick figure animations
• Talking good about people
• Escaping the police
• Large vocabularies
• Fat-free milk
  
• When people like my music
• Art museums
• People that talk to themselves
• Really tall buildings
• Snow
• Airports
• Stick shifts
• Open windows
• Lightning
• Learning a new instrument
• Making pizza from scratch
• Selling old stuff
• Getting a phone call
• Trust
  
• Popsicles
• Hammocks
• Birds flying in front of cars
• Taking obscene amounts of pictures
• New chord progressions
• Sleeping outside
• Night-time pool parties
• New white board pens
• Curing a bad habit
• Really interesting documentaries

As you can see, it's not very hard for the list to become very lengthy, and eventually fill up a whole notebook. Here's why I think that this is beneficial:

1. If you're constantly trying to think of good things to write down, you'll become a more positive person. And more happy. You will spend your time looking for good things, rather than looking for bad things.
2. It makes you realize just how much you really have to be grateful for.
3. You can use it to fill in cracks of wasted time, like waiting in line or on a bus or something.
4. You can always go back and re-read the list. It'll put you in a good mood every time.
5. You can share your list with other people. I've never shown it to someone and not had them insist on reading the entire thing.
6. If you accidentally write the same item more than once, you'll start to notice patterns and realize what things you appreciate most in life.

I had also toyed with the idea of making a list of things that I hate in life, but quickly reconsidered on the premise that it would be just way too easy. And it would do the exact opposite of everything I listed above. Except for #3. That one is a plus no matter what kind of list you're making.

To help you get started, take one minute and write down the first 10 things that come to your mind that you are thankful for, and post it in the comments on this blog. Right now. Shouldn't take more than a minute.

Good luck.

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