I just read an article about how to be happy. Most of the rules are fairly obvious, but there's a real difference between knowing something is good for you and putting it into practice. Number eight is 'Say Thank You Like You Mean It':

People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression—and the effect lasts for weeks.

I've noticed that there are a couple of people on my friends list who regularly post five good things about their day. This seems like a really good idea, so I think I'll try it . Not that I'm not happy in my life; I am, in fact I am happier these days than I have ever been in my adult life. But I think I have a tendency to forget how lucky I am, and let everyday life (especially work) submerge me in a kind of unthinking haze. I live when I leave work-- but I spend eight hours a day here, and I don't want to sleep through it.

Anyway, this is probably very boring for everyone reading it, but you can just skip past it on your friends page. The reason I want to post these is probably understandable to all of you, because you have LJ accounts too. Making things public, posting them online, makes them more... real, somehow. More spoken out loud.

5 Good Things on Wednesday, December 10

1. I got my Secret Santa recipient at work, and it's someone I like. So much easier to buy for!

2. I am drawing again, and it makes me happy.

3. I have put Christmas decorations up in my office and my house.

4. Lindt dark chocolate doesn't contain milk solids, therefore no lactose.

5. I have paid off my credit card, so I celebrated by buying myself a bunch of books and Animal Crossing figures with the leftover Xmas bonus I was going to spend on work clothes. Good decision!