Everybody has “those days”— days where you stub your toe in the morning and everything seems to go downhill from there. It’s hard not to complain when your car breaks down or you’re stressed about schoolwork.

When you’re overwhelmed, you tend to focus on the negative. Taking a deep breath and being thankful seems ridiculous in those moments.

Recently, I’ve started a gratitude journal. There’s not much to it, I just list what I am grateful for every day. At first, it seemed pretty obvious. I listed the basics — shelter, my family and my car. As I kept going, it got more difficult, but definitely more interesting. Many things I don’t take the time to appreciate, yet my life would be completely altered without them.

Take my clothes, for instance. The contents of my closet are more often on the floor than they are put away. Sometimes, I don’t even have enough hangers to store all my clothes. Still, every morning I am muttering to myself that I have nothing to wear.

Listing what I was thankful for also made me realize how objects are important, but people are of greater value. It’s easy to fall in love with a shiny new laptop and forget who gave it to you.

People are more difficult; they have opinions and the ability to disagree. But when that laptop starts to malfunction and you’re feeling stressed, who will be there to pick up the pieces? Whether it’s a friend or a parent, I can guarantee it’s a person.

Gratitude turns what we have into enough. If we don’t embrace what we already possess, we will never be satisfied. It’s certainly a difficult practice; I am nowhere near mastering it. Although I haven’t been doing it long, I can sense a change in my thinking. Aspiring for a better lifestyle is great, but being content where you are is a beautiful thing.