“If you're alive, there's a good chance you're breathing, and the ability to direct your attention to the coming and going of the breath is always available.” Mingyur Rinpoche . Appreciate the things you take for granted, like the ability to see, hear, smell, feel, etc. Every component of your life is imbued with things to be grateful for. And whether or not you are aware of this fact can drastically influence your experience. As Mingyur Rinpoche invites you to appreciate the air you breathe and the ground you walk on, does this change your experience of these mundane aspects of life? Mingyur Rinpoche claims that cultivating joy in the way he is describing can lead to an increase in awareness. As you engage in this practice, do you frequently experience changes in awareness in your daily life? Please explain. Each morning when you wake up, reflect on how lucky you are to be alive. Consider the fact that there is air to breathe, a sun to warm the earth, ground to walk on, loved ones to care about, and so on. Each day, find a time—perhaps just after waking up—and write down five things that you are grateful for. Try rotating the focus of your appreciation. For example, you could reflect on your physical body on day one, your surroundings on day two, your friends and family on day three, and so on.