December 25 Weekly Technique

It’s normal to notice—and even dwell on—the bumpy parts of life or your journey. Take time to do these three things throughout the week to help boost your happiness and smooth your ride.

Life can get so busy, especially around the holidays and end of the year, that it’s easy to miss reflecting on what went right—your favorite coffee on sale, no line at the gas station, finally perfecting that pie recipe.

But pausing to take five minutes each week to connect with what’s going right in your world—no matter how minor it may seem—can spark feelings of gratitude. And it's a powerful emotion. Not only can practicing gratitude help shift your perspective to the big picture, science shows it increases happiness and improves your ability to overcome challenges and cope with setbacks. All things that serve you well on a weight-loss journey.

Don’t stress if focusing on the good doesn’t come naturally at first—that’s normal. The more you practice, the easier and even automatic gratitude can become. Plus, connecting now with good things in life, whether from today or this week, month, or year can help energize you and your journey for what’s to come in 2023.