Finding everyday magic in a world that won’t slow down
It’s Sunday 4:43 in the morning as I write this. The house is still quiet, save for the gentle hum of my coffee maker and the soft padding of our cat’s paws across the hardwood floor. There’s something about these early morning moments that makes my heart feel especially full, especially aware of all the tiny blessings I usually rush past.
You see, I wasn’t always a “gratitude person.” 🙈 In fact, I used to roll my eyes at those Instagram posts about gratitude journals and morning affirmations. Life was about getting things done, checking boxes, moving forward. Who had time to stop and count blessings?
Then came the year that broke me open.💔
It wasn’t one big thing. Rather, it was a series of small losses and disappointments that piled up like autumn leaves until I felt buried beneath them. My dream job fell through. A close friendship unraveled. Health issues kept me awake at night. Nothing catastrophic, just… life, doing what life does sometimes.🌪️
And then one morning, much like this one, something shifted.
I was sitting at my kitchen table, feeling particularly sorry for myself, when my elderly neighbor walked by my window. She was moving slowly, using her cane, but she had this smile on her face as she bent down (with considerable effort) to pick up a fallen maple leaf. She studied it for a moment, her smile growing wider, before carefully tucking it into her pocket.
That image stopped me in my tracks. Here was someone finding joy in a simple leaf while I sat inside, blind to the countless blessings surrounding me.👀
So I started small.
That first day, I just wrote down three things:
- Hot coffee ☕️
- A working heater 🔥
- My favorite blue mug 💙
It felt silly at first, almost embarrassingly simple. But something strange happened as the days went by. The more I looked for things to be grateful for, the more I found. It was like training my eyes to see in the dark – gradually, shapes emerged that I hadn’t noticed before.
I became grateful for:
- The way my dog’s ears feel like velvet
- Text messages from friends that start with “Just thinking about you…”
- The specific shade of purple the sky turns just before sunset
- The sound of my mom’s laugh on the phone
- Clean sheets
- First sips of water when I’m really thirsty
- The satisfying ‘click’ of my front door lock
But here’s what really surprised me – gratitude didn’t just change what I noticed; it changed how I experienced life’s challenges.
Bad days still came (they always will), but they felt different. Like last week, when I got a flat tire in the rain. Instead of spiraling into “why me?” mode, I found myself genuinely thankful for:
- My phone having battery
- The kind stranger who pulled over to help
- The fact that I had emergency funds to cover the repair
- The cozy café across from the tire shop where I could work while waiting
This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending everything’s perfect. Some days, my gratitude list looks like:
- I survived today 💪
- I managed to brush my teeth
- The sun rose again
And you know what? Those lists count too.
Because gratitude, I’m learning, isn’t about the size of the blessing. It’s about the practice of noticing. Of paying attention. Of remembering that even in our darkest moments, tiny lights still flicker if we train our eyes to see them.
As I sit here now, watching the sun slowly paint my kitchen walls golden, I’m grateful for you – yes, you – taking the time to read these words. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share this journey, to maybe inspire you to start your own.
Start small. Start where you are. Just start.
Because once you begin looking for reasons to be grateful, life has this magical way of giving you more reasons to add to your list.
Let me pick your brain : What’s one tiny thing you’re grateful for today? Share in the comments below – let’s create a ripple effect of gratitude together. Sometimes the smallest thank you can spark the biggest change.💭
P.S. That maple leaf my neighbor picked up? She pressed it between two pages of her gratitude journal. I know because she showed me over tea last week. Sometimes the best teachers appear in the most unexpected ways.
With a full heart and so much gratitude for each of you… 💝
Sending love and light to all you beautiful souls who took the time to pause and read these words. Remember, your presence here isn’t random – it’s part of our shared journey of growing, healing, and learning to appreciate life’s little miracles. ✨
You matter. Your story matters. And I’m incredibly grateful our paths crossed in this little corner of the internet. 🌟
Keep shining your light, sweet souls. The world needs your unique kind of magic. ✨
#Gratitude #MindfulLiving #PersonalGrowth #LifeLessons #DailyGratitude #MentalHealth #SelfGrowth #Mindfulness #PositiveVibes #GratefulHeart 🙏✨