Seneca said no one is poor who has enough, yet we rarely stop to see that we do. The mind is built to chase the next thing, so the good already in your hands goes unnoticed, the roof over you, the breath in your chest, a person who texts back. Gratitude isn't pretending everything's perfect. It's just turning your attention, for a moment, to what's actually here instead of what's missing. That small turn changes how a whole day feels. You can want more and still be thankful for now; the two can sit together. Try naming three plain, true things you have. It's harder to feel empty when your hands are this full.

Inspired by the old idea of gratitude. Written by Ugo Charles.