Taking a second for gratitude

How do we stop and appreciate the moment while we're actually in it?

College keeps moving fast—there's always another exam, another meeting, another thing on the list. It's easy to treat everything like a checkpoint: finish this, move to the next, repeat. But this past week, I deviated from my usual studious routine. More concerts, more time with people, more saying yes to things that didn't directly "serve a purpose."

And somewhere in that shift, I realized how much I've been missing.

Not missing out—missing. As in, not seeing what's right in front of me.

College has surrounded me with so many people and opportunities to be grateful for. But gratitude in the moment is hard. It's easier to recognize it in retrospect—looking back and thinking "that was good." But by then, it's already over.

Here's what I'm wrestling with:

There's this tension between being present and being productive. I default to productivity. It feels safer, more controllable. But this week reminded me that some of the best things don't happen when I'm optimizing—they happen when I'm just... there. A conversation that goes longer than planned. A detour that wasn't on the schedule. The kind of moment you'd miss entirely if you were too locked into your routine.

What I'm trying:

Pausing more intentionally. After a good conversation, sitting with it for thirty seconds instead of immediately checking my phone. After a class that actually made me think, letting it sit instead of rushing to the next commitment.

Naming what I'm grateful for while it's happening, not just later. Telling people "I'm really glad we did this" instead of assuming they know. Saying it out loud makes it real in a way thinking it doesn't.

Giving myself permission to deviate. My studious norm isn't bad—it's gotten me far. But if I'm so rigid that I can't recognize when life is offering me something worth paying attention to, I'm missing the point.

The shift I'm noticing:

Gratitude isn't just about acknowledging the big things—it's about training yourself to see the texture of your actual life. The person who checked in on you. The book that found you at the right time. The night you stayed up too late but it was worth it.

I want to carry this perspective forward. Not just when I'm deviating from routine, but as part of the routine itself.

Until next week—praying for your success,

James

How do you stay present with what you're grateful for?