January 01, 2026
The Thought of the Day for January 1 is not a pep talk. It is a hand on your shoulder. It is Kurt Vonnegut reminding us to catch the good moments while they are still happening.
“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy.” Kurt Vonnegut
I love how ordinary that sentence is. No fireworks. No checklist. No promise that everything will get better if you just try harder.
Just notice.
Because happiness is slippery. It is not always the big stuff. It is often the tiny stuff that gets drowned out by noise and obligation.
Sometimes it is the first quiet minute in the morning. Sometimes it is the way the house sounds when everyone is asleep. Sometimes it is laughing at a stupid text. Sometimes it is a warm car. Sometimes it is the fact that you made it through a hard conversation without burning the whole place down.
Here is one small practice you can try today without turning it into a project.
At some point, when you feel even slightly okay, stop and name it. You do not have to say it to anyone. You do not have to write it down. You do not have to make it meaningful.
Just say it quietly to yourself: I am happy right now.
That sentence is not a verdict on your life. It is a snapshot. It is you choosing to be present long enough to register a moment before it passes.
If you want more prompts like this delivered with low friction, you can join the daily email. It is short. It is simple. It meets you where you are.
And if you want to wander, the Thought of the Day archive is always there when you need a breather.
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