Hey there, it's Julia. Welcome back, friend. I'm so glad you're here.

You know, mid-December has this funny way of pulling us in a hundred directions at once, doesn't it? The holidays are either ramping up or wrapping down, and somewhere in between, it feels like the world's asking for your attention, your energy, your presence everywhere except where you actually are. So if you're feeling a little scattered today, a little overwhelmed, you're not alone. That's exactly why we're here together.

Let's start by just arriving. Find a comfortable seat—couch, chair, floor, doesn't matter. Feet flat if you can. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears. And take one deep breath with me. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Good. One more. Feel that? That's you, showing up for yourself. That matters.

Now, I want to walk you through something I call the Three Good Things practice, and it's genuinely my favorite because it's simple and it actually works. Here's the beautiful part: gratitude isn't about forcing yourself to be thankful for everything. It's about noticing what's already working, what's already good, even in the messy, complicated middle of things.

So settle in. Close your eyes if that feels right. And think about today. Not your whole life, not your whole year, just today. What's one small thing that went well? Maybe it was a warm cup of coffee that tasted exactly right. Maybe it was someone who smiled at you. Maybe it's just that you're breathing. Whatever it is, notice it. Really picture it. What did it feel like in your body? Where do you feel the warmth of that moment right now?

Now another one. A second good thing. Let yourself linger here for a moment. Feel the texture of it.

And one more. A third good thing. And as you hold these three things in your mind's eye, I want you to notice something: these moments were available to you all day. You lived through them. Your brain might have zoomed past them, chasing the next thing, but you were there. And that's the magic of gratitude practice. It's not about creating happiness out of thin air. It's about training your attention to land on the good that's already here.

Take a deep breath and gently open your eyes.

Here's what I want you to carry with you today: tonight, before bed, do this again. Just three things. Notice how your attention starts to shift, how your brain begins scanning for the good instead of the gaps.

Thank you so much for sharing this practice with me today. If this resonated with you, please subscribe to Gratitude Practice: Daily Mindfulness Reflections for Happiness. I'll be here tomorrow, and I can't wait to practice with you again.

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