Welcome back, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. You know, mid-December can feel like you're running on fumes, right? The year's almost done, and there's this weird pressure to feel grateful when honestly, you might just feel tired. So today, we're going to flip that script. We're not forcing gratitude. We're discovering it. Let's begin.

Find yourself somewhere quiet, where you can sit comfortably for the next few minutes. Maybe that's your couch, a park bench, or even your car. Wherever you are is exactly right. Now, let's settle in together. Take a deep breath in through your nose, feeling the cool air fill your chest. Hold it for just a moment. Then exhale slowly, like you're blowing out candles one by one. Do that three times with me. Breathing in calm. Breathing out tension. Good.

Now, I want you to think about something simple. Not the big, impressive things. Not your dream vacation or your goal salary. I want you to think about something small that happened today. Maybe it was the way your coffee tasted this morning. Maybe someone held a door. Maybe you found a song you loved. Don't force it. Just notice what comes to mind. Sit with that moment like you're holding it in your hands.

Here's what I've learned after years of teaching this: gratitude isn't about toxic positivity or pretending everything's wonderful. It's about noticing what's real. It's like looking through a microscope at your day instead of a telescope. Everything becomes visible.

So hold that small moment. Now ask yourself gently, why does that matter? What did it give you? Was it comfort? Connection? A tiny spark of joy? Notice how your body feels when you acknowledge this. There might be a softness in your chest, or warmth in your hands. That's gratitude waking up inside you.

As you move through the rest of your day, here's my challenge: collect three small things. Not perfect things. Real things. Your favorite sip of tea. A text from someone you care about. Even just making it through a difficult moment. Notice them like you're a detective of daily gifts. When you write them down tonight, you'll be amazed at how full your day actually was.

Thank you so much for practicing with me today on Gratitude Practice: Daily Mindfulness Reflections for Happiness. This is how we build our happiness muscle, one small moment at a time. Please subscribe so we can meditate together again soon. You've got this.

For great deals today, check out https://amzn.to/47ZqpWT

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI