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Little Things... Like Walmart Sweatpants and Ice Cubes

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 By Katie Hayden 

Most who know me would agree that I am a very goal-oriented individual. I tend to set overly ambitious goals for myself and challenge myself to achieve them, regardless of how crazy they may be. As I turned the page at the beginning of this year, I thought hard on goals I wished to accomplish throughout the New Year. As I racked my brain for the best and brightest ideas I could come up with, I realized that one thing I really wish to improve on is quite simple‒sharing more gratitude. 

I have an awful habit of being so on-the-go that I forget to thank those around me for all they do to help me daily. I get so caught up in busy culture that it can be challenging to take even one moment to be grateful for things going on throughout my day. This year, I wanted to make a conscious effort to switch this up by starting a gratitude journal. Journaling has encouraged me to take a deeper look into things I am grateful for rather than superficial things that come to mind right off the bat. Here is a list of a few things I have written down so far:

  1. My Walmart sweatpants (don’t knock them until you try them! I am telling ya they will increase your ability to study by AT LEAST a factor of 10. They are number one on this list for a reason!)
  2. Sticky notes. As someone who literally lives on a piece of paper, writing little reminders on a sticky note saves my life!
  3. Ice cubes. Hot coffee just does not work like iced coffee does. Ice is a total game changer!
  4. My crockpot. This makes me sound like a 40-year old mother, but who doesn’t love when dinner is ready when you get home from class?!
  5. Calling my mom just to say hi. Like… all the time. Thank goodness she isn’t tired of me yet!
  6. FaceTime calls with my family. When we cannot be together, FaceTime is the next best thing to fill each other in on our lives. 
  7. Study dates that turn into… not really studying but typically end in dinner and talking about life. While they are so unproductive in some ways, they are so good for the soul. 
  8. Meeting new people! This is 100% one of my all-time favorite parts of college. 
  9. My classes that I love. I think it is so crazy that I actually enjoy studying and reading my textbooks because I love the content I am learning (nerd alert!)
  10. Grocery shopping at Aldi. If you know, you know! Nothing changes the game for a college student like saving some money at the grocery.
While a thank you journal may seem silly or basic to some, it has given me a complete shift in my mindset. Taking a moment at the end of every day to write down things I am thankful for allows me to view a bad day in a positive light. I have learned that, sometimes it is the seemingly simple goals that can make the most difference in my life. I do not always need to change the world, sometimes I just need to change the way I am looking at it.

Katie Hayden is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2024. She is studying neuroscience and political science at the University of Louisville.
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