Over a year ago I started a practice that so many experts talk about. I started to write down three things that I am grateful for every single day. I personally like to be very specific in what I write:

I am grateful for my mom and my mother-in-law who come and watch my kids so that I can have uninterrupted work hours. 

I felt especially grateful for the sunshine today after a week of rain.

I am thankful for music and the ability that it has to brighten our moods.

I am grateful for the opportunity we have to go to church each week because it helps me to remember the things that are most important to me.

It is easy to be grateful in ideal circumstances but not every day in the past 14 months has been perfect. I have learned to look for the joy and blessings even on the hard days:

I am grateful for a friends and neighbors who reach out to us when we are going through difficult circumstances. 

I am grateful for the ability I have to strengthen my body when it feels broken and weak.

I am thankful I can watch YouTube videos to help me learn how to fix a broken dryer.

I am grateful for a warm bath after a long and hard day.

The key to living a life that you love is having an attitude of gratitude.

As cheesy as that sounds, it has become one of the most important practices in my life. 

While there are many outside influences in our lives that we do not have control over, we do have complete control over our mindset and our reactions. We are the ones that control our life. Knowing this has been key to finding joy each day. Loving your life is all about mindset. 

I have existed in a space where I feel overwhelmed by all the things that need to get done. I have to do laundry. I have to feed my family. I have to change the oil. I have to go shopping. I have to work. I have to exercise. I have to drink water.

The truth is you do not have to do any of those things.

I want to take care of my family so I need to do laundry, cook meals, do dishes, etc.

I want to be healthy so I need to exercise, drink water, eat balanced meals, etc.

I want to be a happy person so I need to have a positive mindset.

Understanding what I want has helped the endless lists of things seem purposeful. They are helping me to live the life that I want to live. 

I am consciously choosing the way that my life looks. Each decision that I make is very purposeful. 

When things are hard, I remember I chose that because I though it would aline with the life that I want to have.

I choose to work each day so that my husband can finish school. I do not have to work but I choose to so that we can live debt free. I am grateful that I get to work each day. I am grateful for a job that works for our situation.

I choose to exercise in the morning. I do not have to exercise but I choose to so that I can be strong, have mental clarity, and feel good about myself. I am grateful that I am able to get up and move my body.

When we are in seasons of life where we do not have as much control as we would like, when we are struggling with health battles, others choices, or mental depression, I encourage you to focus on the things that you can choose. Allow yourself to feel the hurt, devastation, sadness, and then choose to look to the blessings around you. 

Choose to fill your life with the things that make you happy. Choose to be grateful.