1. Shri Lakshmi Foods in Walthamstow;
2. Another sunny day with some free time to ride my bike;
3. Checking off a few long lingering items from my to-do list;
4. Chess.com; and
5. Being generally content with my work schedule.
What is Five Good Things?
The logic behind my Five Good Things series goes like this: for every negative thing that happens to somebody, it takes at least five positive things to counteract the crummy feelings associated with it. For example, let’s say you get into a fight with your partner. It’s going to take five or more niceties, compliments, positive interactions, etc for the two of you to return to feeling good about each other. Bad weighs more than good apparently.
With that notion in mind, this series is an opportunity to share five positive thoughts to ward away unhelpful, unproductive and worrisome ideas seeping into my thinking. For this series, the things comprising my lists are quick thoughts off the top of my head. Rather than ponderous intellectualising, the aim is to think light and spontaneously.
I try to practice this ‘five good things’ mental exercise throughout the day (indeed it’s something I’ve been doing for years) but also aim to publish posts like this one as a more concentrated effort and an encouragement for you to take a moment and contemplate the good things in your life.
