gratitude

Last year I tried to keep a daily list of things I was grateful for. I'd read somewhere that people who do so are 24% happier than those who don't. And who wouldn't want to be 24% happier? I found it quite hard to maintain and had long periods where I just forgot to do it because, to be honest, it just isn't me. But last week on a beautiful clear day (it's summer here) I was in a park watching three little dogs running around and it was such a happy thing that I remembered The List. I read back through my few entries and it was great. These are some of my favourites

• removing a cake from the baking pan and it comes out perfect
• men who wear brightly coloured sweaters
• friendly baristas
• the smell of jasmine
• red sky at night
• reaching the pedestrian crossing just as the "cross now" signal goes
• little dogs that run in the park

So my new year's resolution is to maintain the list. It's so worth it just to read it again later and relive those happy moments.

How about you? Any resolutions?

Reading (and loving) Love, Nina: despatches from family life by Nina Stibbe (It's so funny)