In life, you have to appreciate all your moments - good or bad, because life is lived in moments and one of the best ways to be happy is by appreciating those moments.

The first way you can do this is by building the habit of constantly feeling your breath in every moment so that you can ground yourself in reality and the present moment. The reason why I say to focus your breath first is so you can find clarity. Often, our thoughts distract us from being truly present in the moment. Our minds can be trapped in the past or fixated on the future, which does not allow us to see our moments for what they truly are. When you focus on your breathing, you are engaging only with your current reality, making yourself fully present.

Once you’ve done this, the next step is to start building the habit of thinking good quality thoughts regarding your present reality. For example, say you’re currently watching a movie with your family. Take a moment to think to yourself: I am so grateful that I can spend this time with my family, and that my family is all under one roof right now, sharing in this experience.

The reason why I say focus on having good quality thoughts while you are having experiences is because when you do this, you build the habit of seeing the good in your life. This increases your happiness and mental wellbeing and grants you the ability to appreciate your life as it happens, rather than letting it pass you by. There has been research which shows that people who practice gratitude in their everyday lives generally lead happier lives.

I’ve had so many breath-taking experiences, but I never saw them as precious or appreciated them because my mind was distracted by something else. You see, you may have so many amazing moments in your life, but you just don’t acknowledge them because your mind is elsewhere. Feeding your newborn daughter can go from a priceless moment of holding a new, delicate life in your hands to another mundane Tuesday if your mind is elsewhere. You could be watching your favorite TV show, but if you’re constantly dwelling on the future and thinking about what may happen in the next six months, you will not see the beauty of the moment because it is being tainted by your undisciplined mind being elsewhere.

If I placed your wife in front of you, but also placed my hands over your eyes at the same time then you would not be able to see your beautiful, loving wife standing in front of you. This is simply because your vision is blocked by an external object. No matter what I put in front of you, no matter how amazing it is, you would not be able to see it. This same principle of not seeing what is front of you due to an external object applies to how you see your life. You cannot see the beauty of your life and the experiences that are right in front of you, no matter how amazing they are, if your mind is elsewhere.

Learn to see the beauty within your moments by focusing on your breath and being grateful for the moment, because nothing lasts forever. I know that’s hard to read, but it is true. Time is always moving forward. People get busy, the cycle of life takes its toll, jobs change, people move, best friends become acquaintances and so on and so forth.

That’s why no matter what moment is in front of you, learn to be grateful for it whether that moment is:

Spending time with your mom.

Seeing the love of your life smile.

Feeding your child.

Going for a walk.

Getting coffee with your friend.

Taking your niece for a walk.

Going to dinner with your partner.

Going to Home Depot with your dad.

Watching a movie with your family.

Getting a pedicure with your sister.

Visiting your grandparents.

Working at your current job.

Working on your purpose.

Going to the gym.

Playing basketball with your brother.

Birthday celebrations.

Thanksgiving meals.

Christmas traditions.

Dinner with your family.

The reason why I am so big on being present in your moments is because to me, the purpose of living a meaningful and happy life is creating memories with the people you love. Don’t wait because life—good or bad—is always happening. You don’t know if you will ever get this time back again with the people you love. The next time you are in a moment, find pleasure in it by focusing on your breath and having positive thoughts about it.