| I’m alive. | ☐ |
| I’m not in pain. | ☐ |
| I can think clearly. | ☐ |
| I can see, hear, and walk. | ☐ |
| I’m warm and well-nourished. | ☐ |
| I’m protected from the elements. | ☐ |
| I was born to parents who loved me. | ☐ |
| I’ve built a loving relationship with a partner. | ☐ |
| I feel known and cared for by a number of people. | ☐ |
| I derive a sense of meaning and purpose from my work. | ☐ |
To be clear, I’m not some blissed-out idealist, and I don’t walk around thinking about these things 24/7. I’m disappointed and irritated on a daily basis. But I’ve experienced enough real heartbreak to know that disappointments and irritations are fleeting sensations, and I shouldn’t let them dampen my gratitude for this existence. A list like this helps. So does a sunrise.
