Mandy Oaklander | October 01, 2026

I love the idea of keeping a gratitude journal. It’s so good for your mental health! It’s also one of those habits that’s so hard to maintain that we’ve written two separate stories on how to make journaling less of a drag and how to actually stick to a journaling routine.

So forget the journal. In her new piece, my colleague Angela Haupt offers a different path to gratitude: Keep a reverse bucket list instead. By jotting down a few quick bullet points—no full, reflective sentences required—you’ll jolt your memory about the good things that have already happened in your life.

I set a five-minute timer just now and tried it. Sweet memories started appearing, like that perfect trip to the botanical garden and all the thrilling times we saw a bear in the backyard.

Want to write one of your own? Read on, and Angela will show you how.

TODAY’S TOPICS

Stunning results for a weight-loss pill
Got a question for us?
How to make a reverse bucket list
Nursing home evacuations

BIG NUMBER

57%

The amount by which people lowered their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes after taking Eli Lilly’s recently approved weight-loss pill Foundayo. The pill was also predicted to reduce heart disease risk by 18% over 10 years, the company revealed today. —Alice Park, Senior Correspondent

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ONE SMALL CHANGE

Start a reverse bucket list

A traditional bucket list reminds you of everything you haven’t done yet. Flip it around: Keep a running list of wonderful things you’ve already experienced, from seeing a complete rainbow to laughing with friends for three hours over dinner.

Author and podcaster Simon Sinek calls rereading his own reverse bucket list “joy scrolling.” Start a note on your phone, add one memory today, and revisit it whenever you need proof that your life is already full of good stuff. —Angela Haupt, Editor, Health & Wellness

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WHAT WE’RE READING

Melanie Evans at Tradeoffs explains how to apply for financial assistance from a hospital that may offer charity care.
Staff raced rising floodwater to evacuate 36 nursing-home residents in Minnesota. KFF Health News shows why 100 facilities nationwide may face similar danger.
Want to have better conversations this month? Kira M. Newman at Greater Good offers a day-by-day calendar for listening and connecting more intentionally.