I've come to realize that it's all too simple to get caught up in the day to day motions of life, and in that sense, to forget to take the time to appreciate the good things that each day holds. Whether it be a fun time with friends, an A on an exam, or just a peaceful, stress-free moment in the midst of a stressful day, we're always being blessed in some way, even if we don't realize it at the time. That moment of realization is what I often find myself struggling with, that ability to look back on the day and see how blessed we truly are, and that's a mindset that I want to change.

So, I've put my DIY skills to the test and decided to create something that will make sure I never overlook all the beautiful things God has put in my life. What is that something? Well, I've tried to come up with a neat name for it, but the best I can do is a DIY Memory Jar. Basically, it's a jar full of at least one good memory you have from every day. It sounds simple enough, but here's how you make it.

First, find a cute jar, or any sort of container that you could fit a bunch of slips of paper in. You can decorate the container in any way you'd like, and the more personalized you make it, the more you'll enjoy it and remember to use it. Next, just find or make some cute pieces of paper that you can write a few words or short sentences on. For me, that comes in the form of colorful Post-It notes that I already had in my room. I like to write on them with colorful pens just to make it a bit more interesting. Now that you have your materials, the only thing left to do is figure out what you want to write on your paper.

For me, I like to write the date at the top of the piece of paper. After that, I write at least one good thing that happened to me that day, whether it's a big thing or even if it's super small. Then, I fold up my Post-It note, and drop it into my jar. It sounds simple enough, but I think even something this small can have a big impact on our day to day lives.

Even though I just started this project, and knowing me, will probably forget to do it on many days, I think it's important because it's gets me to think about all of the moments in my life when I am truly blessed, things that I might otherwise have looked over. This year, I'm not only making a DIY, but I'm making a change. This year, I'm going to use something as simple as a jar full of paper to look at all of the good things life has to offer, instead of dwell over the bad ones.