Joni Mitchell never lied. Sunday brunches with your girls. Family cookouts. Going to the store without wearing protective gear—you truly don't know what you've got until it's gone and recently, Michelle Obama gave us a word about leveling up our gratitude game––especially in a time of crisis.

In a post wishing her followers a happy Easter, she explained that the pandemic has taught her to cherish the moments she used to take for granted, and honestly, I felt that in my spirit.

"As many of us celebrate Easter and Passover during this time of physical distancing, I know that we may be missing the togetherness and traditions we've shared in years past. This year, I've been feeling a newfound sense of gratitude for all the little moments I used to take for granted."

According to science, leveling up your gratitude game will improve your physical health, your self-esteem, and even help you sleep better. In other words, being thankful for what you have is the key to getting what you want out of life, and for most of us right now, that's as simple as peace of mind. In March, Michelle told Ellen that like most of us, she's still working to find balance and adjust to her new normal and even shared the Obama family's newfound daily routine:

"Ya know, we're just trying to, like, structure our day. I mean, everybody's home. The girls are back because colleges are now online. So they're off in their respective rooms doing their online classes and I think Barack is — I don't know where he is. He was on the phone on a conference call. I just got finished with a conference call. This is like no other time in history. Particularly for our kids, who are so used to being occupied and stimulated all of the time."

While sh*t has certainly gotten real and times have changed almost overnight, Michelle she says that she's using the pandemic as an opportunity to teach her children the power of appreciating what you have:

"But on the positive side, I know for us, it's forced us to continue to sit down with each other, have real conversations, really ask questions and figure out how to keep ourselves occupied without just TV or computers. It's a good exercise in reminding us that we just don't need a lot of the stuff that we have. When times are bad, having each other, having your health (is most important).

"We can do with a lot less and I think that's an important lesson I want my kids to understand... Be grateful for what you have and be ready to share it when the time comes."

Featured image by Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com