50 Things to Be Grateful For Next Time You Need a Mood Boost

There’s power in gratitude. In fact, it can actually change your brain: In one study, participants who were asked to keep gratitude lists for 14 days felt an increase in their happiness and life satisfaction, and a decrease in symptoms of depression. Another found that, after writing one thank-you letter each week for just three weeks, participants “reported significantly better mental health four weeks and 12 weeks after their writing exercise ended." The results are in: A little bit of thankfulness now, a big mood boost for some time to come.

But, with the hectic hustle and bustle of life, we can often forget to slow down and take the time to appreciate the good things we have in our life. We did the work for you and found 50 simple reasons to be thankful. (Best of all: Most of them cost little to no money!) Whether it's the mascara that gives you lashes for days or your dog's sweet eyes when you walk through the front door, it's the little stuff that can deliver the biggest jolt of joy. When it comes time for you to make your own gratitude list, look to these for inspiration.