Oftentimes, when we think about the things to be grateful for, our minds go to the tangible or materialistic things. We are grateful for our families and the roof over our heads. Gratitude can also expressed for even the cup of coffee we have each morning.

Those things are usually on our gratitude “A-list,” the things to be most grateful for, and rightfully so. But what about those things we don’t typically include? How to express gratitude for the common, the usual, the often overlooked, and the unconventional?  

Seven things to be grateful for that are beyond the usual

Here are 7 things to be grateful for that can significantly impact our lives:

1. Learning how to bookend the day

If you think about your day like a bookend, the morning is on one side, and evening is on the other. A lot of times, you can’t control all the little things that happen during the day. You can, however, implement effective morning and evening routines.

2. Kickstarting the day with movement

Start the morning with some light stretching. Find gratitude in the fact that you can wake your body up with movement instead of going straight for coffee.

3. Defining a sleep schedule

If trying to define a routine, slowly adjust the time you go to bed and the time you wake up in the morning a little at a time. Practice using an alarm until it becomes a habit.

4. Organizing your day, and not just winging it

Your routine matters. We all get 24 hours in a day; the magic happens with what you do within those 24 hours. You can’t control time itself, but you can control your priorities.

5. Building relationships

Acknowledging people goes a long way and is part of building a solid relationship.

6. Taking intentional action

Don’t simply react to things. You may not be in control of the things that happen, but you are in control of how you respond.

7. Having a huge community to plug into

Our happiness depends on our ability to feel and express gratitude. There is a difference between being grateful for something and being a grateful person. The more we express gratitude for all the blessings that make up our daily lives, the happier we will be.

Learn how to express gratitude 

Time keeps moving, whether you like it or not. If you don’t honor your time, no one else will. Take action and do the work. You can listen and take notes all day long, but if you don’t take action, you’ll still be in the same place you were. If nothing changes, nothing changes. 

However, note that doing a lot of things at once can make people weak. The real power is in taking small, incremental action with consistency.