Is anyone else a fan of Chicken Soup for the Soul? The first time I came across this book series was when we had to finish an English assignment in high school. We were basically forced to read it to avoid detention class. Like most students, I didn’t quite enjoy reading. I only read it to complete the assignment without realizing how heart-warming some of the stories were.
Almost a decade later, I’m skimming through the bookstore. In hopes of finding something that could lift my spirits after another breakup, I would hang around the Self-Help section, reading through each of the titles. That’s when I felt a connection and instantly pulled it out of the shelf. The title read “The Power of Positive,” one of the many books from Chicken Soup for the Soul.
To my surprise, the stories were quite addicting. Most stories would leave you feeling whole again, while some remind us of how blessed we are. A particular story, however, prompted me to take action. It was The Book of Good Things by Nina Taylor.
Short Summary
The story is about Nina capturing her good experiences in a book she named “Book of Good Things.” She would write down all the great things that happened to her in a numbered list. That list eventually kept growing until one day, when her life fell apart, causing her to fall into depression. That’s when she picked up the book and read through it. All the things that brought her joy reminded her of who she was and where she belonged.
My Book of Good Things
After reading this story, I immediately pulled out an empty notebook and wrote “My Book of Good Things” on the front page. The list is still short, but I try to write at least one good thing a day. So far, my list includes:
- Made the perfect ice-cream scoop
- Watching rabbits chew on hay
- Witnessed silly moments in online games with friends
- Surprising my friends with a clean clutch*
- Sunshine lighting up my room after a week of foggy weather
- Scored 100% in an online test
- Found an interesting book at the bookstore
- Reaching further than before (but still nowhere near doing the splits)
- Daybreak’s IG post was shared by a reader (YAY!)
- When the book I picked up lived up to my expectations
- Got a new haircut
- Donated a bag of unworn clothes
- Caught up with an old friend
*In gamer slang, clutch represents that extreme moment of winning a game. It usually means the last minutes of a game, to summon strength, concentration, and whatever else necessary to succeed, to perform well, and perhaps change the outcome of the game.
It doesn’t have to be something big. Accumulating all these little moments of happiness not only reminds you to appreciate it, but it can also be helpful when you’re feeling low. Reading through them almost instantly puts a smile on my face. The feelings I felt during those moments come back to me.
To Conclude
Grab yourself an empty notebook or open up a new page on a note-taking app and start writing away! You can start with one a day until you’re comfortable to work your way up to 3 good things a day (or more!). You never know when your book of good things can help you when you’re feeling low. And it’s always fun to look back for a nice chuckle!