Three simple practices that will transform your life
And you can accomplish them in 15 minutes a day
Dear Friend,
When I was in my 20s, 30s, and 40s, I read all kinds of self-improvement books—how to be more successful, to invest wisely, to organize my life, to lose weight, and gain friends. The promise was always the same: these were the steps to success. And with success, happiness would follow.
Now, in my 60s, my idea of happiness has changed.
I see this season of life as a threshold—a crossing into a new chapter that juxtaposes an aging body with a mind gathering wisdom.
I’ve found that living well in this stage of life looks very different from how I once imagined it. Because of course, I had no idea of what it meant to be here.
Today, I want to share three daily practices that I believe have helped me the most. They’re gentle, grounding, and deeply enriching. They’ve helped me walk through both ordinary days and harder seasons with a little more peace and purpose.
1. Begin and end each day by naming three things you’re grateful for.
You don’t need a special journal or a perfect pen. Most of the time, I just count them on my fingers or say them out loud—three things, every morning and every night.
Why? Because the world is constantly telling us we’re missing something. That we need to do more, be more. It can feel endless. But when I pause and name three things I already have—I remember that my life is already full.
If I have food, shelter, and health, I have so much. If I have even one person who loves me, I’m deeply blessed. Gratitude has a way of gently resetting our hearts, especially on days when everything feels heavy.
2. Read a little bit of the Bible each morning. I start with the Psalms.
I love the Psalms. They’re full of praise and sorrow, hope and frustration, longing and joy. They don’t hide from life’s messiness. In fact, they name it beautifully. And even though they were written thousands of years ago, I’m always surprised by how closely they speak to my own heart.
Our joys and our heartbreaks are not new. The Psalms remind me of that. They help me begin my day with a deep breath and a sense of connection—not just to Scripture, but to something much bigger and older than myself.
3. Talk to God throughout your day. It’s as natural as breathing.
Prayer takes many forms—from formal prayers recited during a service, to whispered breaths of anguish or gratitude. I start my day with prayer. And at night, I no longer kneel beside my bed, but I stand quietly, bow my head, and briefly end my day with God.
I believe prayer is the lynchpin in our relationship with God. And it can be the most intimate, safe, and transformative relationship we have. We can tell God things we would never speak aloud to another soul. We can be completely ourselves.
I thought this would be a short reflection, because I’ve mentioned each of these practices before—but as I wrote, I realized just how much they have added to the quality of my life. With that in mind, I am going to expand this into a 3 or 4-part series and consider each of these practices in more depth.
But don’t keep that from starting them today. They’re not complicated. But they are powerful. And they’ve made all the difference in my life.
I hope they bless you, too.
With love,
Suzanne