We all know that those who are able to stop and smell the roses do actually enjoy their lives more. 
When we can have a heart and spirit of gratitude, when we can see the positives in the day and be thankful, we actually live happier lives. We are happier people.
That’s what we all want. I am no exception.
About ten years ago I started my daily practice of thankfulness. During my daily prayer time I would sit and list five or ten different things that I was grateful for: my friendships, my education, the quiet I was experiencing, simple pleasures.
As the years went on, I began writing down my daily gratitudes because I found that the act of actually writing them down proved to be fruitful to me. Putting pen to paper, writing in cursive, engaging in movement helped the gratitude soak in more.
Now, I have journals full of things I’m thankful for. What has been completely enlightening to me is flipping back to past years, months, or weeks to see what I was thankful for during those different stages of my life. (Our lives are full of these stages!)
A popular gratitude entry has been “coffee” during this season of motherhood. Having a time of “quiet” has also filled the pages recently; no surprise there, with two toddlers running around my house.
Years past I would frequently mention the sound of birds, the sunshine, or feeling the breeze blow across my skin. Nature has always brought me a true sense of peace.
So to look back over the years and to see the things I was thankful for at each season of my life has been eye-opening. I feel that I have come to understand my true self more. The things that mean the most to me. The things that have great meaning in my life. The things that bring me joy and peace.
And what I’ve found is that I love simplicity. The little things make the biggest difference to me. The environment – what makes up the space around me – greatly affects me.
But I’ve always known this. Deep down I’ve known this. I’ve known that it’s the memory, the lasting feeling, the impression that leaves a mark on me.
It’s not about the gift that I receive. It’s about the feeling that I get when I receive that particular gift.
To have journals upon journals to look back on and reflect on what I’ve been thankful for throughout my adult life has been a blessing in and of itself.
My happiness lies in the little things. The minute details. The things that no one else pays attention to or notices.
If this is a practice that you haven’t tried, I encourage you to buy a notebook and set aside five minutes each day, morning or night, to jot down what you are thankful for that day, and see what happens. I think you might be surprised at the gratitudes we can fill our lives with.
Read more from Laura here.
