My take on gratitude.
To the delicate footsteps I hear walking throughout the library,
To the water droplets of dew that stay on the skin of changing leaves,
To the friends who print for you because printing money is no joke,
Thank you.
Three weeks ago, I noticed that nothing brought me more joy than the simple sound of footsteps pittering down the steps of the library. Although I usually try to be mindful in my day to day, life can get in the way of that gratitude, so I was honestly surprised at the amount of happiness from such an ordinary noise that I’ve heard my entire life.
I bought the book “The Five Minute Journal” about a year ago. For anyone who’s interested in this book, it includes a page for each day with morning and nightly prompts. The morning prompts include “I am grateful for…”, “What would make today great?”, and “Daily Affirmations, I am…”, while the nightly ones are “3 Amazing things that happened today…” and “How could I have made this day better?”. The book can tell you more about how the prompts are supposed to be taken, but just know that this is one way to incorporate gratitude into your life. I love that I can wake up everyday and physically write down the things that I’m grateful for rather than scrolling through my phone to soak in some blue light instead. Honestly, I’ve had this book for quite some time, so also know that you definitely won’t do it everyday, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the point in the first place.
I think that these kinds of books really make you subconsciously think about where you are in your mindfulness practice, a state in which you are present and aware of the moments you’re in. Even though I don’t physically fill out a page everyday, I still look at the journal on my nightstand and think about the prompts in my head: everyday is different. Sometimes I’ll fill it out just in the morning and then just at night the next day. Sometimes I’ll do a full page or even switch the prompts up. Lately for the nightly prompts I’ve just done as many “amazing things that have happened today” instead of filling out “how could I have made this day better?” Don’t be afraid to create your own journal and log your thoughts to at least keep your practice going- no matter how tangible it is or not. At the end of the day, it’s just for you and that’s all that matters.
So, gratitude. You see, in a world that keeps on going and going and going (sometimes not in the best way), it’s really hard to see the good in your day. I know it’s cheesy to say “you should enjoy the little things” (thanks to my college admissions essay I think I’ve exceeded my liking of that phrase), but I think that you should really be grateful for what you have and who’s in your life.
I also have an app called “1 Second Everyday”, and before you judge me because I know that your basic little sister has it too, trust me–it’s wonderful. You would think that one second is either too little or too long, but I promise you it’s just the right amount. Pulling out my camera app and recording a one-second video of something that I cherish during the day has seriously changed my life. I now have so many pictures and videos remembering the people, places, and particular moments that I want to remember. It’s not only satisfying to look at when you can mash all of your existing videos together to see where you’ve been and where you are now, but also to be grateful for all of those times and know that they are part of your life forever.
Even though these are great ways to keep this practice in your life, gratitude and being grateful are so much more than a simple book or app. I know that in my life, seasons change on my practice depending on what’s going on and what I’m going through, and that’s completely okay. It’s extremely important to also remind yourself that not being grateful is just as okay as being grateful. Things happen, people change, and the world (unfortunately) doesn’t stop for any of it. Especially in college, our lives seem so wrapped up in our own personal little bubble. I always find myself asking questions of Did you get all of your homework done? When is this paper due? How are my friends today? Do I have time to go to the gym? Where’s the nearest place to get coffee? What will I eat for dinner tonight? I think a lot of college is staying on top of everything: school, work, life, friends, and the endless to-do list going through our heads, but there’s no universal expectation to sit down and take time for yourself. Reflection is so rewarding and undeniably healthy, that the fact it’s not a requirement for everyone to follow is ridiculous (in my opinion). I think everyone should take the time out of their lives to look around at everything that surrounds them: the trees, the streets, their shoes, the people, the sky, the food, the world, and truly appreciate what’s in front of them.
So whether you practice gratitude through a book, a mantra, or an app, know that you can also be like my roommate stating bluntly in her bedroom, “I fucking love sneezing.” Well guess what? I fucking love my roommate.
To the people who make my heart glow everyday,
To the warm bed I wake up to every morning,
To the rain and the sun, whosever available that day,
To the music-filled seven minute walk to and from school,
To the food that fuels me through the 3:30-5:45 classes,
To the family in my 164C Seattle home,
Thank you.
I love you all.