A dog is thrilled by a walk, a snack and you. Most of us need way more to have a good day.

What counts as a good day is set by what you have decided you require, and that number creeps up without permission. A dog needs movement, food and company, and will be visibly delighted by all three every single time. Most of us have quietly added a dozen conditions on top, which means our threshold for being pleased keeps rising while the actual ingredients stay the same.

Write down what would make today good using only three cheap things. Then go and get those three, and resist adding a fourth before you are allowed to be satisfied.