The Gifts We Overlook | by Jennifer Slukynsky

We’re all guilty of it. Waking up, brushing our teeth, checking our phones, sipping our coffee—rushing through the rhythms of daily life without even noticing the gifts embedded in them. But what if we paused to consider that the things we move through so casually are the very things someone else is on their knees praying for?

A quiet house.
A reliable car.
A job that pays the bills.
A partner who listens.
A body that wakes up without pain.
A healthy child.
A second chance.

Everyday Abundance, Invisibly Wrapped

It’s easy to let the extraordinary become invisible when it’s wrapped in routine. We don’t mean to be ungrateful; we just forget. We normalize abundance. And we speed right past the sacred in our striving for something shinier, newer, more.

Perspective Is a Practice

But perspective—real, honest perspective—is powerful. It snaps us out of autopilot. It reminds us to treat our daily lives not like burdens to be managed, but like blessings to be honored.

A Small Shift, A Huge Impact

When you shift from overlooking to appreciating, your life doesn’t change—you do. Gratitude slows your pace. It deepens joy. It softens frustration. And it reminds you that your life, just as it is today, is rich with meaning. So today, take inventory.

Name three things you’re lucky to have that once lived on your own wish list—or still do on someone else’s.

Say thank you out loud.

Write it down.

Call the person.

Take the walk.

Give the hug.

Final Thought: Make It a Daily Ritual

The world doesn’t need more people chasing "more." It needs more people noticing what they already have, and turning that noticing into joy, generosity, and intentional living.

Because the moment you see your ordinary as someone else’s miracle, your whole life shifts into something deeply sacred.