Every morning when I wake up, I name five things I’m grateful for. They could be things that I have every day but am especially grateful for that morning; like a house to live in, a bed to sleep in, and warm clothes to wear. Or, they could be things that are specific to the morning, or what I have planned for the day (I am always grateful for curly fry Tuesdays). They don't have to be material items either; it could be a specific person or a personality trait of mine. It's just anything I am feeling appreciative of that morning. Whatever they may be, every morning when I wake up, I think of five things I am grateful for and say them out loud to myself.

By starting every day with some gratitude, you set the intention early to make the day great, and that little bit of effort can go a long way. It’s such a simple thing, that really takes no time at all, but it can make your whole day go differently. Think about it, how many times have you woken up late, or spilled coffee on your shirt, and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is gonna be a crappy day.” You start the day off already with this notion in your head that today is not going to be a good day and all the little minor things that go wrong become huge determinants of your mood for the remainder of the day. But, if you start the day off on a positive note, even if it’s with this seemingly insignificant task, I promise you you’re going to have a good day.

You might be asking why. Why will thinking of five things I’m grateful for and saying them out loud in the morning set the course for my whole day? It’s because of this notion called the Law of Attraction, which basically states that whatever you put out is what you’re going to get back. If you are constantly focusing on the little things that don’t go right and seem to always be upset, asking, “Why me?,” then all you are ever going to see is the negative and what goes wrong in situations; it's easy to get clouded and lost in your own swarm of negative thoughts. But, if you step back, look at the big picture, and work on each piece of a problem step by step, you are going to get results. You are going to find a way to achieve the goals you set for yourself. It all starts with a mindset, your mindset, so you have to make sure it's a good one. One that is open to things not going exactly according to plan, and one that is not afraid of what can go wrong, but is strong enough to overcome it.

So to answer that question of why this whole idea matters; thinking of what you’re grateful for and saying it out loud is just a small piece of the puzzle. It’s a small piece that can start you off for the day thinking positively and help create that open mindset that can help you do amazing things. I know it seems so silly and trivial to say what you’re grateful for out loud, and that you’re probably thinking that you have so much to be grateful for and that this is easy. But, when was the last time you actually thought of not only those specific things that you’re grateful for but why you’re grateful for them? It’s not as easy as you would think, to vocalize not only what but why you are grateful for what you have. It is easy to get used to things, like a bed, food, and clothes or to people like your family and friends, and take advantage of the fact that you have them and that they’re so easily accessible. By recognizing what you have and why you are grateful for it, whether it be material items, people, or just some trait about yourself you really like, it’ll make you more appreciative not only of those things but other things that come into your life as well.

There is so much to be grateful for in your life, even if you think there isn’t. You’re here, you’re living, you’re able to read this. There are so many things to be grateful for that we overlook every single day. So I challenge you to think of what you’re grateful for and say it out loud. Every morning. Or when you feel like you’re having a bad day or something is going wrong. Think of five things to be grateful for in that situation and say them out loud. Say them over and over again until you believe it yourself. I promise you’ll start your day off right and make it a great day. I promise you'll have a more open mind and look at situations in life with a little more positivity. I promise that you'll recognize not only what you have in your life that deserves gratitude, but what comes into your life that is worth appreciating. I promise that this little thing will be worth it.