Here’s a lesson that I’ve learned through experience: The more that you’re grateful, the more that you’ll be given to be grateful for. It’s easy to get caught up in an ambitious chase for desires you don’t yet have, so it’s important to appreciate what you already possess. You’ve been blessed with gifts that you may be overlooking every day.

One interesting thing about human nature is that we often don’t appreciate something until it’s gone. Take love for instance. Oftentimes we can fall into routines in our relationships and take others for granted. It’s not until it reaches a point where the other person leaves where we begin to reflect and notice the impact of their presence.

Instead, make it a priority to give thanks for all the things, big and small, you already have in your life. Don’t be shy! Let it be known to yourself and others around you. Your consistent gratitude will bring about more reasons to be grateful. If you gave a thoughtful gift to a friend and they didn’t acknowledge or appreciate you, what are the chances that you’d give more to them in the future? If instead, your friend lit up with gratitude and thanked you deeply for you thoughtfulness, is it safe to say that you’d be more likely to give to them again?

I challenge you to begin your mornings with gratitude, then to intentionally make time throughout your day to give thanks. Give thanks for what you already have, and you’ll be given more to be grateful for! Thank you. =)