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What Did You Do Today That Made You Happy?
A simple alternative to journaling for anyone stressed but time stretched.
Over the last year, I’ve been trying to reclaim some time for myself. It’s hard. Most of us have so many commitments that making it through the day can be an achievement.
An old mentor used to say, “Remember, the best time of your life is now. It has to be”. I was never sure what she meant. I was an expert at postponing happiness to a future time when my life would be perfect, or focusing on happy times in the past.
Like half the world, I looked to James Clear’s Atomic Habits for inspiration. I didn’t want much. Just a super simple routine that would motivate me to think about happiness in the present!
Here’s what I came up with by focusing on the belief that small habits can equal big wins. I incorporated one simple question into my evening routine. “What did I do today that made me happy?”
Total honesty, I normal ask myself this when I’m brushing my teeth. It’s part of my nightly ritual. I don’t overthink it. But if I struggle to find anything that made me happy, it’s a signal I’m losing focus.
It’s helped clarify what really makes me happy. Everyone’s list will be different, and it could surprise you. Before starting, I made a list of what I thought made me happy. Six months in, the answers are a little different. Try it for yourself.
The benefit is twofold. A massive red flag goes up if I go a week without being able to think of anything that made me happy. That wasn’t happening before. And I’m so much clearer now about where my focus should be to reclaim some happiness.
My old mentor was on to something. The best time of your life has to be now, because that’s all we have.
