Always I will ever

It is mid-summer and you can tell people are starting to get a little bored with themselves. If you spend any time on social media you noticed the “personality tests” type lists are making their rounds, and people are testing themselves to determine “how much living have you done in your life?” They always seem so negative, rewarding the quizee for doing things like having been arrested, sneaked into a movie theater, made a prank call, woke up hungover, or skipped school (hopefully not because they woke up hungover). Hardly events one should use to measure a happy, productive life.

We thought it would be refreshing to test yourself on how positive a life you are living. So give yourself a point for each of the following you’ve done. (Score an extra point for each you’ve done today!)

Score one point if you:

• Woke up with a prayer, meditation, cleansing ritual or in some other way sought spiritual guidance before starting the day

• Sang a song to yourself

• Sang a song out loud

• Wrote a note, text, or email to someone just to say hi…just “hi” and nothing else

• Offered to help someone without expecting anything in return

• Offered to help someone a second time knowing for sure you won’t get anything in return

• Given someone a ride that took you out of your way without mentioning that fact

• Smiled or laughed at a joke your told yourself

• Told a joke to somebody

• Laughed at somebody’s joke (bonus point for not rolling your eyes at it)

• Donated to charity

• Donated blood

• Said “thank you”

• Said “you’re welcome”

• Didn’t raise your voice in anger or frustration over the last 24 hours

• Smiled to a stranger

• Danced in your living room

• Visited or called a friend and had a real conversation

• Told a child, parent, or partner “I love you” – out loud

• Told a friend “I love you” – just as out loud

• Hugged somebody

• Hugged a teddy bear or some other security object (pillows count too)

• Went to sleep with a prayer, meditation, cleansing ritual or in some other way thanked a supreme being for making it through the day

If your score is 1 or better, congratulations, there’s a good person in you! Do it again tomorrow. You know, this could make a nice daily “To Do List.”