# Checklist: Everyday Positives

It’s pretty easy to spot the negative stuff. We go about our day buzzing from one thing to another. Not much time is spent looking out for those positive moments. When we do notice them, we quickly forget them and move on to the next dot point on our daily list of bullet points.

But you can change that. Starting right this minute. You can start to notice the positives. You can pluck them out, look at them, think about them, savour them … and soon something will happen. Your brain will start to notice them without effort.

Here’s a great checklist of small positives that can be in front of our noses every day.

01. That first sip of tea or coffee in the morning  
02. The satisfaction of finishing something you’ve been putting off doing  
03. The warmth when you pull on a sweater/jumper  
04. An unexpected cuddle from someone you love  
05. An unexpected smile from a stranger  
06. Flickering sunshine on a wall  
07. The smell of star jasmine or your favourite flower  
08. A really cold glass of water when you’ve finished some exercise  
09. A glass of water when you’re thirsty  
10. Hearing kids giggling and enjoying themselves  
11. The sound of summer (cicadas)  
12. Fresh snow  
13. Snow flakes falling  
14. Tired muscles after exercise  
15. The smell of freshly washed clothes  
16. Catching yourself with an unhelpful thought and changing it  
17. Sunrise/sunset  
18. Birds chattering  
19. Finishing a work meeting on time and with lots of agreement  
20. Hearing “I love you”  
21. Feeling grateful  
22. Being kind to someone you don’t know  
23. Giving a compliment  
24. Accepting a compliment graciously  
25. Stepping outside your comfort zone  
26. Calming yourself down when you’re feeling a little (or a lot) anxious  
27. Allowing yourself to relax without reprimand  
28. Feeling proud about yourself for something you did  
29. Not dwelling on a mistake you’ve made but learning from it  
30. Noticing when you’re trying to be/do “perfect” and instead letting it go  
31. The smell of toast  
32. Peanut butter on toast (okay - this one is personal but it gives me an enormous positive moment)  
33. Doing some self-care  
34. Exercising  
35. Saying no to something you really do want to say no to i.e. that extra glass of wine or beer  
36. Noticing nature  
37. Being kind to yourself instead of the opposite  
38. Speaking with a close friend  
39. Sun and rain and cloud formations  
40. How dogs look at their owners

I’m sure you can add to this list. It’s endless.

Noticing positives helps you see the good in yourself, others around you, and in the world.

[Michelle Carlyle](/content/blog-post?author=56c3abec8259b56cbe30421d/index.html) 31 December 2019