A.J. Jacobs

Just really keeping track of my moods, both good and bad.

When I'm grateful for something, I write it down on a little index card.

And I say, oh, you know, I'm grateful that my dog wanted her belly rubbed.

You know, just little things.

And also things that annoy me.

This person didn't text back.

And I find it good because...

It helps me savor the good emotions.

And also, when I write down what I'm annoyed about, more often than not,

It's something dumb and that I look at it when I write it down.

I'm like, oh, I got to get over that.

That is not a good use of my mental energy.

Now, there are apps you can get on the iPhone that do this mood tracking and they work for some people.

I tried them for me.

I actually like the physical index card because I have it in front of me on my desk with a pencil.

And so it's almost it's very much a reminder, like when I have an emotion of gratitude or annoyance that I should can write it down.

And the iPhone is not as as helpful in that way.

So that is something that has really I wrote about it like six months ago.

I did it for like three months.

Then I'm like, you know, maybe I should take, you know, maybe it's served its purpose.