I once heard Sheryl Sandberg talk about how she wrote 3 things that made her happy every night to overcome her grief over her husband’s death.

Finding a way to write three things every night has proved cumbersome. For starters, I have to think about where to write these three things. More importantly, I forget I have to write three things.

So I figured out a way to do something similar without having to have some form of writing utensil and without having to consciously remember. Let me explain:

1. Mumble “I’m beautiful/hot/sexy/admirable/decent/etc” when you make that last bathroom trip before you go to bed.

I struggled with body image issues for the longest time ever. I admit, I still do. I hated seeing myself in the mirror, yet I proceeded to stare at my naked ass for the next 50 minutes, hating every bit of it. Every time this happened, I walked away frowning and sad.

Well, no one looks good while they’re taking a dump. Or brushing their teeth.

I see myself in the mirror washing my hands or with foam all over my chin. And then I tell myself, I look hella fine. I’m not saying it has to be genuine; just say it out loud. It took time but it built me the self confidence in myself to say it with some meaning. It made me smile because it was stupid. It’s even funnier when there’s someone else in the bathroom hearing you say it.

And as egotistic as this sounds, sometimes I do look hella fine. I look hella fine even if I have a hugeass pimple on my nose. I look hella fine because I found myself in the mirror and was okay with the girl staring back at me, telling me I’m hella fine.

2. When you turn the lights off, be a geek for a sec and think “Achievement Unlocked: [insert achievement]”

For readers who are don’t play games, most xbox games have “achievements” that ping you “Achievement Unlocked” when you achieve those achievements.

I usually think to myself, “I turned the lights off.” Yeah, literally anything I’ve achieved. Lights out. You made it to the end of the day. You made it to your bed. You made sure to brush your teeth. You did something that you made manual, actual effort to do. All you’re doing here is consciously thinking about that thing that you did.

Again, it’s stupid, but it’s stupidly easy to do. And stupid enough, those achievements that you think up are not always the small things. Sometimes, those things are pretty big things, or multiple things, or things you did a while back that you forgot to acknowledge. No matter the achievement, these are all the reasons why you are heading into the bed tonight.

Give it appreciation because you deserve it.

3. As you set the alarm for tomorrow, remind yourself that there is a tomorrow.

Okay, I admit, this is a little cliché.

There is a tomorrow. I mean, that’s why you’re setting an alarm for it.

There is a tomorrow. You may have fucked up a whole lot today, but there is a tomorrow.

There is a tomorrow. You may have won a Nobel Prize today, but you’re (likely) not going to win another one tomorrow.

There is a tomorrow. You may not think much of it.

There is a tomorrow. No matter what, it will happen.

There is a tomorrow. Do what you will with it, but there is always a tomorrow.

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I think these are three things that are easy to remember, require no extra materials, and get the right message across. No pressure, no effort.

Have a good night.

Disclaimer: I don’t know how to live life; I just live it doing things that has helped me, and like to spread the word that some things work. I want the best of everyone else as much as I want the best of myself.