The Daily Ritual That Has Changed My Life

I've noticed an immediate shift in my mood.

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Published February 06, 2026
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First thing in the morning my hand fumbled for my cellphone before my eyes were fully open. I was guilty of grabbing my phone and scrolling through emails, Facebook and Instagram. The warm glow from the screen illuminating the room before sunrise. Nighttime was no better. A quiet house appeared to be the perfect time for a deep dive on Google to quell my latest obsessions: the perils of coyotes, as we struggle with them in our neighborhood, as well as my growing sensitivity to heat. I wilt easily. My other obsession is finding the best indoor princess tent for my granddaughter, because she’s my princess. It’s no wonder it took me forever to fall asleep. And it's why I didn’t feel energized, focused and inspired as my day began.

I knew this habit wasn’t healthy so I researched copious amounts of articles and videos about good sleep hygiene. I tried meditation but it was a struggle to quiet my menopausal monkey brain. I often replayed scenes in my mind when I should be still — thinking of times I wish I had said something else or handled a situation better. I searched self-help gurus on Instagram, as one does when addicted to the social mechanical world at my fingertips. I figured if I was going to go down an Instagram rabbit hole, it might as well be for something productive.

That’s when I stumbled upon the GLAD Technique. It’s a daily mindfulness exercise, attributed to Donald Altman in his book, The Mindfulness Toolbox, that teaches you to cultivate a positive mindset, achieve happiness, balance and to build better habits as you reflect on things you’re grateful for throughout your day in four categories: Gratitude, Learned, Achieved and Delighted.

When practicing the GLAD Technique, you name at least one small thing that happened that day that you’re grateful for, something you learned, something you achieved and something that delighted you. It only required a few minutes a day and seemed infinitely easier than meditating and became an entertaining challenge to come up with something (anything!) positive in each category each day.

The first time I tried GLAD was after a particularly arduous day. Trying to discover a semblance of a silver lining was a struggle until I acknowledged that my gratitude choices didn’t need to be monumental, just true to me. I chuckled to myself that I was grateful for my sensitive stomached dog’s healthy bowel movement, that I learned I need to make more social plans during the day because sometimes the loneliness of writing can be wearisome, that I achieved 10,000 steps while walking and communing with nature, and that I delighted in a lengthy phone conversation with an old high school friend.

I noticed an immediate shift in my mood. I felt happier, confident and inspired. On some level it made me feel like no matter what else happened, I had won the day, even just a little bit. Focusing on the positives and not the negatives also gave me the mental and psychological boost to tackle my ever-growing to-do list and helped give greater clarity to goal setting and daily intentions. According to research, the daily practice of gratitude not only enhances your mood, it has a profound effect on managing stress and improving physical health and overall wellbeing.

Now, the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do at night, while my eyes are closed, is my beloved GLAD routine. I look forward to it and enjoy its calming effect more than the adrenaline-infused rush of social media. And it allows me to begin and end my day with renewed joy and purpose, something social media never could do.

Linda Wolff is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and more. She is also the voice behind Carpool Goddess, where she proves that midlife, motherhood and the empty nest aren’t so scary.