“How do you stay motivated and positive, even when things go wrong?”

It’s a question we hear a lot, especially with everything that’s been going on in the world lately. The reality is, it can be difficult and challenging not to let setbacks get us down. How do you keep a positive mindset and remain hopeful when you feel bogged down from life’s curveballs?

A few years ago, I (Kalie) tended to unintentionally forget to notice and feel grateful for the things I was blessed with, big or small.

Maybe you can relate?

Instead of feeling grateful for the gentleman holding the door open, we rush past him with our minds fixated on being late. Rather than getting excited about dining out with friends, we worry about what to wear. Instead of noticing the beauty of the sun-kissed earth, we reach for our sunglasses frustrated that the light is in our eyes.

Instead of celebrating life’s tiny blessings, we focus on its hurdles and wonder why our life seems so tough.

Years ago, all that changed after my grandmother passed away and I paged through her journal. She was truly content and happy with what she had and yet she tragically lost a son at a young age, had undergone challenges I can’t imagine being faced with and watched her husband (my grandfather) of 70 years battle with cancer and lose the fight.

I never quite understood how she maintained such a positive outlook on life until the day I started reading her journal, which she faithfully wrote in every day. I can honestly say what I learned that day was one of the best discoveries I’d ever made.

This one single trick made a huge impact on my life and has taught me how to keep a positive outlook and see every situation with a “glass half-full” mindset.

In fact, it was so simple, and so powerful, that I don’t know how I managed to go almost my entire life without knowing it.

Are you ready for it?

It’s writing down at least one thing I’m grateful for, every single day.

Since finding her journal that day, I have made a conscious effort to see the positive in life’s situations, whether something good or unexpected happens. Each night before I get into bed, I jot down at least one of those things. It only takes a few seconds, and yet this simple habit, over the course of the last few years, has changed EVERYTHING.

And, as I’m sure we can all relate, the last few months have been far from perfect. But despite the challenges, frustrations, setbacks or unfulfilled longings, all the problems seem smaller because of the appreciation for what I do have.

Gratitude has completely changed my perspective and allowed me to experience a sense of peace, calm and joy, even when life gets tough.

Challenge yourself to an attitude of gratitude

My challenge to you this week is to try this one simple trick, just for a week, and see what happens. Intentionally open your heart and become acutely aware of the gift of gratitude—a kind gesture, a small success, a renewed relationship, the beauty of nature. At the end of the day, jot down at least one of those things and keep your list as a reminder for when things don’t go as planned.

You might just be amazed at the results!

If you're looking for an accountability buddy and game-changer for mindset

Follow-through is essential for wellness but can be challenging. To celebrate life’s blessings (and supercharge my health), I’ve found that using the Healthy Living Log each day has allowed me to consistently focus on building healthy habits, such as daily gratitude, and personal goals that would ordinarily get squeezed out in the rush and stress of daily life.

The daily prompts in this planner quickly and easily guide you toward optimal health through visualization, mindfulness, conscious eating, gratitude, movement, self-love and inspiration. It’s the daily reset button and accountability buddy that allows you to live your best life and be supported every step of the way—in less than 10 minutes a day.