Sometimes, life can feel like it's crumbling down around us. "Just pray about it." "Oh, you'll be fine. This is something we all go through." "It'll get better, just move on." We all hear this. If you're like me, you hear it enough times that you give up on talking about what's going on because you're tired of hearing the same answers over, and over, and over again. Over the years, I've learned small tricks to remind myself that things aren't always going to be as bad as they are at that particular moment. One of the most important habits that I've developed is to always look for the beauty in even the smallest things. Here's a list of 5 of the best reminders that give me hope for better days.

1. The Night Sky // each night after I get off work or when I'm coming home, I make it a priority to look at the sky. It serves as a constant reminder that although it may not look like anything is changing, so much is going on. Stars burn out and are replaced and we aren't even aware of it. Same with my personal life. It may not look like anything is changing. Life can seem like nothing is ever going to be different. But when I take a look back a month later, so much has changed. I don't realize it at the time, but things changed without me realizing it.

2. The Morning Sunrise // although I may dread getting up early in the morning, I absolutely adore watching the sunrise. It serves as a reminder that there is a new day ahead. Whatever happened the day before is over. "After all, tomorrow is a new day," as Scarlet O'Hara would say.

3. The Evening Sunset // thus marks the end of another day. God blessed us with an entire day. Whether is was good or not, that's an entire day that wasn't promised. Plus, the scenery can be absolutely breathtaking.

4. Nature // The same God that created morning sunrises and evening sunsets and the night skies created you. He created the lush spring trees and the vibrant fall leaves. He created the ocean waves and the mountain breeze. He created YOU. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are enough. We take time to appreciate the beauty God placed in the nature around us. Why can't we take time to appreciate ourselves?

5. Rainy Days // it's all about perspective. You can either look at a rainy day as gloomy and dark and it completely ruin your mood. Or you can learn to enjoy the rain. With rain comes sitting inside with a book and a cup of coffee, listening to the sound of rain on a nearby window. Similarly, things happening in our lives are about learning to look at it in a new light. Do we accept our initial thought of how bad it is? Or do we learn to look at it as something that will mold us into the person God has planned?

We tend to take these things for granted because we overlook what we think is always there. Nature can be symbolic of a new day or an amazing future, but we should always take time to appreciate the small things around us. Take a deep breath on a crisp, cold winter day. Curl up with blankets, hot chocolate, and a loved one and sit outside and talk on a cool, fall day. Take the day off and bask in the sun on a hot, sunny day. Go for a walk on a spring day and pick wildflowers. I promise you that it’ll change your view of life, even for just a moment.