It’s hard to believe that we’re almost two years into the Covid-19 pandemic. March 2022 will mark the second anniversary of the first lockdown in Ireland and many countries around the world. And while vaccine uptake and anti-viral drugs offer promise for a better year ahead, with the arrival of Omicron we have seen once again just how quickly the course of this disease can change.

It means that our lives are still cluttered with uncertainty, and it can feel difficult to muster hope among rising daily cases and an endless loop of testing, isolating and illness among friends, family and work colleagues. Which is why it feels all the more important to grab onto the things that make us smile and embrace the happy, joyous, cheerful, charming, lucky, fun, pleasant and just plain nice things when they do happen. 

One way to do this is to make note of something when it happens. Journalling has become a self-care tool relied on by many to help boost positivity and feelings of gratitude, and noting things you are grateful for or happy about each day or week is something that will suit many. But we’ve seen a new trend that might be even more enjoyable that you can try alone or with the whole family. 

Find a mason jar (as big as you can) and some shreds of paper. From now on and throughout the year, whenever something good happens, write it on a slip of paper and store it in the mason jar. You can do this as often as you like, but aim for at least one good thing per week. Make them as big or as small as you wish, like noting a big achievement at work, meeting a friend’s baby for the first time, watching a beautiful sunset, learning a new recipe, or eating ice-cream with your kids. You might also want to date the entries.

By the end of 2022, even if we are in for another challenging year, you’ll be able to look back on all the moments that brought you joy. And if you find yourself sick, isolating or just a little bit down in a few months’ time, crack open the jar and see what you’ve built up in just a few weeks, comforted by the knowledge that there are many more sparks of joy to come. 

If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that finding happiness in the small moments of everyday life, no matter how ordinary they may seem, can be the most hopeful thing of all.