Niggles, bugs and grateful lists - Louise Tondeur: Writer

Here’s a free extract from the book:

Thank you Angel Paths for reminding me to post about Grateful Lists!

The niggles and bugs exercises

Write down every small niggle that annoys you, interrupts you, frustrates you or prevents you from doing what you want to do. Create some small steps to do something about any niggle that’s in your control.
Keep a bugs diary. Note anything at all that bugs you. Create some small steps to help you to de-bug anything in your control.
Do a survey of all your stuff, making a note of the things that you use regularly that you really love.
Note small annoyances, focusing on basic tools that you use everyday.
Make a Grateful List. Stop for a moment, whenever you can, and make a list of things you are grateful for right now. This is a real mood lifter and helps to put our goals in perspective.
Make a Grateful List specifically about the people in your life.

What happens next?

When you review these exercises again and again – including your grateful lists – a funny thing happens:

After a time most of the niggles and bugs in your notebook don’t matter any more.
Some of the niggles and bugs will have become so habitual you’ve forgotten there’s another way to do it.
One or two may stand out to such an extent that you can no longer ignore them.
The lists of things you love will either prove that something wasn’t as useful as you thought it was, or it will help you appreciate the enduring usefulness of whatever it is.
The grateful lists will make you smile and provide inspiration and encouragement as well as helping you put the niggles and bugs in perspective.