One year ago today, I purchased a very simple, moleskin notebook from Target to start my daily gratitude journal. The goal was to write down one thing, person, or activity I was grateful for every day for the duration of a year.

Sometimes I wrote down something as simple as clean sheets, a lazy Sunday, or my much beloved, blue Gatorade. Other days, I was thankful for a book that changed my view on something, for friends giving me a place to stay, or an afternoon spent laughing with my family. Keeping the journal did not change my day to day view on things as I’ve always been the type of person to look at most days and difficult situations positively; however, reflecting on the entire year’s worth of notes, taught me an important lesson on gratitude.

As I was reading what I’d been recording for the past year, there was a common theme. On any given day, the thing I tended to be most grateful for was a small moment. A small moment like watching scary movie trailers with my roommate, a friend bringing me coffee, or a joke from a last minute trip.

Many days we allow a small, negative moment to ruin an otherwise great day, but how many times do we allow a small, good moment to turn it around?

My year of daily gratitude journaling has taught me to appreciate the small moments more. The small moments that lead to bigger opportunities. The small moments you can reflect on and relive. And, the small moments that lead to building new friendships and relationships.

Excerpt of some of my favorite logs:

• A late-night Waffle House visit
• Patio weather
• New library books
• A friend bringing me coffee
• The second place at trivia celebration
• Many engagement celebrations
• New chapter at Robert Half
• Fresh haircut feeling
• Being a fan of Mondays
• New apartment
• New friendships
• Raising $1200 for the Atlanta Children’s Shelter
• Jalapeno margaritas (took me a surprisingly long time to write this one down)
• Being early to the movies
• Helping out a family in need
• Scary movie trailers