Objectively speaking, my at-home desk is a mess, perpetually scattered with an array of bright neon highlighters, stacks of high school yearbooks, and endless, loose sheets of paper. Though, one specific item obtains the intrinsic capacity to demand my attention and focus. Perched on the left corner, alone in all its glory, lies a little blue bin. Its exterior is nothing more than a simple shade of royal blue, topped with a wooden cover. With an appearance of absolute simplicity, its inside contains 52 carefully created note cards that serve as my immediate infusion of serotonin, or rather, enlightening wisdom when necessary.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, for which I realized its implications would not subside immediately, I knew I needed to discover an efficient way to maintain an optimistic outlook and sense of gratitude. Thus, after performing the typical, frantic rush of searching for the perfect New Year’s resolution for the upcoming year, I discovered an activity that was so simple, yet would undeniably spark the joy that I so desperately yearned for. Beginning in January of 2021, I took a blank note card every Sunday and wrote every positive thing that happened to me the previous week. I scribbled notes as meaningful as “Officially committed to Michigan” during the week of January 31st, or as random as “Cooked green beans for the first time” during the week of April 18th. No matter how trivial or significant a memory may seem, it was something that made me feel good - something worth writing down for my future self to remember.

I feel sad one night? I stick my hand in the bin and find a card about the unforgettable, funniest dinner I had with my friends a few weeks prior. I feel a lack of self-love one afternoon? I shuffle around and read until warmth begins to reignite within me. I remember one day in August where I was feeling extra down and anxious because summer was coming to a close, and this end signified the separation that my friends and I were about to endure; we were about to embark on our new, individual journeys in college. In response, I opened the bin, immersing myself into past events like our impulsive meetups, our trip to Galveston, Texas, and hour-long group FaceTimes. This process helped me come to terms with the fact that, yes, things are about to change and we will not be in each others’ lives daily, but nothing can steal these memories from us. Therefore, I should not let this change cloud them. 

Overall, writing down the moments that made me feel genuinely happy sparked feelings of gratitude for the things, people, and experiences I do have. Further, sporadically circling back to these moments prevents any negatives from overpowering my weeks, thereby instead allowing positives to consume my mind. Over time, I was even able to solely focus on the bright side of a negative experience: for example, during the week of the devastating Texas winter storm, I wrote “Got water and power back”— a blatant representation of my newfound ability in processing a negative situation, and subsequently recognizing its positive aspects.

While some weeks only had the first few lines filled, other week note cards were thoughtfully coated with memories, forcing me to sometimes write against the edge of the note card or in between the lines. As such, no matter which card I selected while sticking my hand into the bin, each one represented a snippet of my life that made my heart swell enough for it to be stowed away forever. At a moment’s notice, this process therefore enabled memories to reenter my mind with pervasive glee.

Thus, here is what I can conclude from my blue bin experience: If you also have found yourself detached from the positive feelings of life, I encourage you to start documenting every unforgettable interaction, every memorable laugh, and every piece of good news. Then, shove it into your own little blue bin. While this tradition may seem small, it will undoubtedly develop a stronger sense of well-being within you. Instead of focusing on a multitude of negatives, you can highlight and certainly hone in on joyful positives - a blueprint for gratitude, awareness, and reflection.