The other day when I sat down to write I decided I wanted to take the week and each day think of something, just one thing, that I was grateful for and appreciative of that was not a material item. The point was to prove that if we paid attention there were so many things in our everyday lives that we should be gracious of, but we didn’t take the time to think about. In a few short minutes I though of more than one thing. In a span of maybe five minutes I could list off a handful of things that I didn’t necessarily think of until now. I wasn’t unappreciative of these things, but I never took the time to realize how blessed I was for these everyday feelings and things. Here are seven things that we never truly realize are blessings to be appreciated.

The ability to feel loved and appreciated.

To feel an emotion this strong. The way my nieces greet me when I walk in the door gives me a feeling like no other. Or even, being able to see this. The way they light up around one another, that is a special love to witness. To feel a warm embrace of another person. Nothing like this can ever be recreated.

The ability to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Hearing birds chirping at your window in the morning. Walking in wet grass or along a sandy beach. Seeing a beautiful sunset. These are all things we take for granted, but not everyone can experience.

The ability to be healthy.

Sure, I have my aches and pains and little issues here and there, but nothing that has altered my life greatly. Thanks to modern medicine my asthma or acid reflux don’t halt my day, and that’s the worst it gets for me. I am lucky to have a healthy, strong body that works.

The ability to feel comforted by the sound of a voice.

Talking to my mom on the phone, and hearing anything and everything she has to tell me is calming. It’s comforting and reminds me of so many things. Even being able to call her and tell her all about my day is.

The ability to miss someone.

I woke up this morning disappointed, after I dreamed all night about my boyfriend coming to visit. I woke to the realization that it would be weeks before I could see him again. It wasn’t until later in the day that I came to the realization that I was lucky to miss him. Not everyone has someone to miss. Not everyone has someone they care so deeply about that they feel an urgency to see.

The ability to be employed.

Not everyone has the chance to have a job, or to be working towards a better one through education like I am. I am able to be in school full time while maintaining part-time jobs to help me and let me indulge myself from time to time. I get to go to work, learn, and interact with others. This is not to go unnoticed either.

The ability to laugh.

To feel utter joy take over your body. Nothing is like this. Nothing. Especially in moments of being upset, laughter can truly change your day. A good laugh can fix anything and put a smile on your face. Emotions that are not easily replicated.

These were all things I realized after only a few minutes of thought. Things that change the way I think about life and circumstances. So next time you are feeling down, or lacking inspiration just take a moment of thought. In that moment truly focus on the little things, because in the long run those are the big things.