I know I’ve written before about keeping a gratitude list, but I’ve recently changed the way I approach it. I struggle with feeling like the things I am thankful for should be big and important. Like my boys or the fact that I grew up with two wonderful parents. I often forget to be thankful for the small things. Yesterday the birds were singing so sweetly outside and tonight I get to sleep in freshly washed sheets! That really is one of my favorite things. It’s those small things that really add joy to our every day lives.
I recently watched the movie Happiness for Beginners on Netflix. It was a cute movie about a divorced woman trying to find herself again. Sound familiar? In it, one of the characters encourages her to find three things that happened that day to be grateful for. It was such a good reminder to search for my joy in the small things every day.
So, my gratitude list has become my new nightly ritual. The last thing I do each night is write in my notebook three things I am grateful for that day. At first, it was really difficult to think small and quit making it all so grandiose, but I’ve really come to enjoy it. Now as I go through my day, I try to find the small things that make me happy and remember them for later. Concentrating on the good makes the negative less important.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
Finding The Good 