It’s easy to get caught up in where we want to be, as opposed to where we are. For example, when I paint – I get hyper-focused on the end result and forget to notice the process itself. Over the past few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude and how it shows up in unexpected places.

My mom taught me many things. One unexpected lesson that popped up throughout our relationship was how grateful she was for everything. Even as Alzheimer’s stole her memory, she’d notice things the rest of us took for granted – the way clouds wrapped the crest of the mountains, new car colors on the street, even uneven sidewalks that needed fixing. Her repetitive Alzheimer-induced observations could be frustrating. But at the same time, she was teaching me, and everyone around her, something profound about paying attention and finding wonder in ordinary moments.

This carries over into work life too. During our recent alignment changes at Automattic, I found myself grateful not just for the colleagues who stayed, but for what each person who left had brought to our journey together: shared projects, solved problems, and moments of growth. Sometimes it takes a shake-up to make you appreciate the everyday.

One habit I’ve managed to maintain over time is waking up an hour before I have to log into work. Nothing fancy, just making my coffee, settling into my favorite corner with my Bible, catching up on the news, or playing a game on my phone. It’s not Instagram-worthy, but it’s my way of holding space for gratitude. Mainly preparing mentally for the day ahead, in the quiet of the early morning, before the rush begins, taking a bit of time for quiet while the rest of my household is still asleep.

I always want to do more, of course. I always have good intentions about setting aside time to paint or journal. But between early meetings, family responsibilities, and the general rush of life, these often get pushed aside. I expect I am not alone in this.

Yet even small things matter. For example, during my recent sabbatical, I logged 106 entries in Day One; just daily moments worth remembering. I wanted to do this because I knew I would miss the many small blessings of day-to-day life if I didn’t take the time to record them.

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about gratitude, so I guess it’s something I think about a lot. It’s important! As I move through the days, I see it show up in unexpected ways. When spending time with my mom, I learned to be thankful for her moments of clarity, shared laughter, and even watched the simple recognition in her eyes. Gratitude isn’t just for the big moments – it’s in the small connections and the daily rituals.

Like my painting style that develops over time, maybe gratitude is something that grows with practice – even imperfect practice (of which I have PLENTY). It’s not about forced positivity or ignoring life’s challenges. Instead, it’s about trying, however imperfectly, to notice, to appreciate, to say “thank you” for what each day brings – even if that day brings uneven sidewalks and repeated stories.