The potential

You might be thinking that’s-easy-for-you-to-say, and to some extent, you’d be right. My life is vibrant and adventurous and I am grateful every day for the opportunities I have. But my life is the way it is because I’m centring it on what I love—and anybody can do that. It starts with one question.

A steady reminder of the good in the world

Memories are ephemeral. The big events stand out, but we often lose the small things that light up each day: the charming barista, the silent sunrise, the intricate beauty of a snowflake. The world is full of those mighty and utterly forgettable moments—and they will disappear if you let them.

Writing down what stood out each day gives you a way to retrieve those memories. Always. Whenever I feel sad, I turn to my list of simple answers to a simple question, and the things I fell in love with each day prop up my heart like an unwavering wall of support.

“I read through my list and stories echo back at me; moments of laughter and friendship and freedom. Each one makes me smile. I really can’t express the power of having 365 reasons to live constantly resurfacing in your heart.” — Me, one year after I started

There is good in the world. There is absolutely good in the world. If you watch carefully, you’ll see it every day.

A renewed focus on living

Several months after I began recording day-by-day wonders, I realized I had started to seek them out. It sounds really simple. Obvious, even. Why wouldn't you do what makes you happy?

We do unhappy things all the time. We have to. Playing by the rules means we’re locked in classrooms and offices, in rush-hour traffic and bleak headlines.

But we can break out. We do. Somehow, in the midst of it all, we laugh and share and fall deeply and tremendously in love. A big part of that is chasing after what makes you happy. Writing down the highlight of each day allows you to centre yourself on what really matters.