Complaining is so much easier than being thankful.

You know the saying. Your mother or Sunday School teacher or grandmother probably said it to you at least once: “You need to have an attitude of gratitude!”

But how many of us actually do? It’s so much easier to think about the crap in the world, or in your own life, than stop and remember the good things. The newspaper headlines sure don’t help, either.

I once read somewhere (I wish I could remember where!) that one of the best things you can do for yourself, if you’re feeling stuck in a rut and teetering on the verge of overwhelming disappointment or depression, is to keep a notebook by your bedside.

Every night before you fall asleep, write down three things you’re grateful for: three good things that happened that day, or that you love, or that you’re just plain glad exist in the world.

The theory is, over the course of doing this for a few days or a week or however long it takes, you’ll start to realize that there ARE good things, and that the good in your life really does outweigh or at least put into perspective all those things that seemed bad or upsetting or just plain wrong with life.

I can’t imagine it’d be easy. But forcing ourselves to think about the good things?

I think that’s a pretty darn good idea.

What would be the first thing on your list?

Today, mine would be… sunshine.