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5 Simple Rules for Better Days

One. Wake up early—I know you're tired and cozy, but you are meant for so much bigger things than hitting snooze or rolling over.

Two. Don't check the news—There are ways to "be informed" in ways that don't also lead to you being enraged, and no, you actually don't need to know the exact nuances of today's forecast. Pick up a book on history, philosophy, poetry, or science. Read one sentence. Now you're a little smarter, and probably not all riled up.

Three. Make something that didn't exist before—I don't care if it's a vaguely creepy doodle on a piece of scrap paper, a poem that's one line (it counts and don't let anyone tell you otherwise), or joining your kids when they pull out the crayons. If you don't have kids, grab a ballpoint pen and a stick note and make circles. Any and all of it beats scrolling.

Four. Delete or remove something—The pants that don't fit right, the email that's been in your inbox for 5 months, the app that's slowly and steadily eating up hours of your precious life.

Five. Every time you want to vent, complain, or talk about someone, say something you're grateful for instead—I promise it feels so much lighter.