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Carm sent me this great article from Time about creating optimism and building happiness. I may summarize it and paste it onto my fridge:  http://time.com/5429498/how-to-be-more-positive-person/?utm_source=time.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-brief&utm_content=2018112011am&xid=newsletter-brief&eminfo=%7b%22EMAIL%22%3a%22FGS9Hyo6qYzM49n7NN4OkxQu7rlbepmi%22%2c%22BRAND%22%3a%22TD%22%2c%22CONTENT%22%3a%22Newsletter%22%2c%22UID%22%3a%22TD_TBR_9048D57D-4755-4625-9AFB-37E60467430A%22%2c%22SUBID%22%3a%2224079039%22%2c%22JOBID%22%3a%22920672%22%2c%22NEWSLETTER%22%3a%22THE_BRIEF%22%2c%22ZIP%22%3a%224R1E5%22%2c%22COUNTRY%22%3a%22%22%7d

It was along the same lines as a youtube tedtalk that I watched a few months ago (and saved for later viewing): https://youtu.be/LqeAiz691-s

Keeping a positive attitude is something that I try to work on everyday, but sometimes life, or bipolar, gets in the way and I need a reminder to work a little harder. There are (at least) four things that I should do everyday: get on the treadmill, do some planks, write something, and pay attention to my pleasures. So today I'll do a little gratitude/pleasures paragraph (and maybe after that I'll do the planks!).

We went out for a drive today and the wind was blowing across the road making for treacherous driving - but Carm drove slowly and I could enjoy the raw beauty of a winter day. It was sunny! Spike was stretched out on his back, hogging most of the sunspot on the futon - he's all puffed up from the bath the other day and was cute as can be. Smoked salmon and spicy cactus made a nice lunch - the cactus burns my mouth just the right amount. We cut up a giant pork shoulder roast for a sort of Asian pulled pork supper - the meat was tender and delicious - I love my instant pot. I love watching the constant flux of birds at the feeder. We are just feeding black sunflower this year, but it seems to attract many birds, even some tiny gold finches.

I suppose there were other pleasurable things that maybe didn't register in my memory.

"Many of us pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that we hurry past it.” 
~Søren Kierkegaard