My friend Lee recommended the book One Thousand Gifts, not for the story, but for a grand idea it contained. The book itself wasn’t my taste (I skimmed through at Barnes & Noble), but its winning principle is to make a list of 1,000 things you’re grateful for, without ever repeating anything.

So a few weeks ago I started a gratitude journal. Every night before bed I write down at least four or five things I’m grateful for. What is so very cool is that once you’ve run through things like good health, shelter, nice food, gorgeous weather—the obvious stuff—well, you have to look a little deeper. Remember, you can’t list something more than once. I’m up to 289.

At one point, I decided to get really optimistic, and I listed a whole bunch of stuff I would be thankful for were it to appear. A full-time job. A new couch. My guy to win the upcoming election. A self-cleaning house. A puppy who comes with a trust fund and a full-time trainer. Peace on earth. Like that.

But mostly I reflect on my day, what I saw, did and experienced. To do that, I’ve during the day I need to look for things to write down. And with all this looking for things to list, what’s happened is I’ve become more alert and aware. The more I look, the more I see. The more I see, the more I look.

Do this and the next thing you know, you are in the moment. In your life. Right there smack dab in the middle of it, right where you belong. And you’re in that soft and powerful place of knowing that no matter what’s going on in your life you can find beauty, joy, kindness in yourself and in the world around you.

Now that’s a gift, don’t you think?