They say that it’s the little things that mean the most but the concept that bigger is better tends to be more prominent in our society. Recently I have taken up journaling and have incorporate writing down a daily gratitude as part of my evening routine. Since I have started doing this my perspective on life has slowly started to shift and change. Here is why I want to encourage everyone to give out writing or even thinking of a daily gratitude every night as you lay down for bed.

1.Takes focus off of comparisons

People tend to compare themselves to others; what you have that other don’t or what others have that you don’t. Thinking of what your grateful for in your life takes the attention away from others and brings you to a space where you think only about what you have in your life. Other people can play a role in your daily gratitude though, like being grateful for your grandma’s speedy recovery, but the sole focus is still on your life.

2.Allows you to evaluate your morals

It’s fun to go back and look at the things you wrote down. When you do look at what the common trend is for your daily gratitude. Do you most write about a gift or things you got, spending time with friend of family, or simplistic occurrence that made your day great?

3.You become happier

It’s hard sometimes to remember all that you have in your life when society is constantly bombarding you with commercials of things you don’t have, or social media is showing you all the get together you weren’t invited to. By coming up with a daily gratitude you aren’t thinking of the things you don’t have or wish you had because you are told they are what’s going to make your life better. Instead you are focusing a on what you do have in your life for a change, and taking the time to acknowledge that your life is pretty great the way it is.

4. You learn to value the little things in life

When I first started doing my daily gratitude I thought I had to come up with the huge things that happened in my day to be grateful for. Life isn’t that way though some days are going to be more eventful than others. If you’re always looking for that huge event to be grateful each day, you’ll end up sitting for a long time and thinking. Having daily gratitude makes you aware of all the less noticeable and more subtle things in a day that make you happy or that you should be thankful for.

5. It gives you a chance to reflect on your day.

Sometimes the day just fly byes and you never really get a chance to process events as they are occurring fully. By thinking of a daily gratitude, it makes you think back on your day and be able to reflect more in depth on your day.