“Give thanks and be grateful” is a phrase at the center of many religions, but in a busy world where we are rushing from point A to B, it becomes really easy to forget gratitude on your nightstand instead of packing it into your day. But is gratitude really worthwhile practicing in a pandemic-riddled world today?
Research has found close correlations between gratitude and happiness. Reality is that gratitude makes everything better: relationships, work, living, and even suffering. Gratitude creates positive awareness and stimulates hope, which brings joy.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend” writes Melody Beattie, and this is indeed true.
With gratitude, we can find the courage for daily living, celebrate when things go right, and cope when things go wrong. Gratitude has the power to change the world one moment at a time. It can certainly change your life for the better. Even the sound of the word is pleasing, and “gratitude” ranks among the most chosen descriptive words.
Why Practice Gratitude?
Gratitude is not just something you feel, although this might be the first place you are aware of it (in your feelings). True gratitude is accompanied by an urge to be thankful for something that went right, that pleased you, or surprised you with the kindness of others. It is about showing appreciation.
A wonderful but often neglected aspect of gratitude and practicing it is that it multiplies, creating more and more happiness in your life. Thus, counting your blessings every day can help you become more thankful and more mindful of these blessings that proliferate in your life.
Research Into Gratitude
It has been proven that making gratitude part of your daily life by keeping a journal increases your feel-good brain chemistry. You can look forward to better sleep, less stress, an improved immune system, and a generally healthier life-view.
When you journal about your daily gratitude, your long-term happiness increases by a staggering 10%. Studies have found tremendous benefits from recording your gratitude daily.
| Gratitude improves: | How does being grateful help? |
| Better health | 10% less stress-related illnesses |
| Heart health | Lowers blood pressure by 10 to 16% |
| A healthy exercise routine | Grateful people spend an additional 1.5 hours exercising per week |
| Improved sleep patterns | 15% better sleep and 10% longer sleep |
| Less stressed | A 23% decrease in cortisol levels |
Overall, people who are actively practicing gratitude as part of their daily routine are 25% happier. What should be pointed out is that these people consciously reflected on their gratitude, which magnifies the impact of that gratitude.
Simply thinking “thanks” when someone opens the door for you will not have as much benefit as writing about the kindness of a stranger who helped you through a door in your gratitude journal. You need to reflect on gratitude to benefit more from it.
What Is Gratitude?
Gratitude is a feeling of happiness or thankfulness for something that has happened due to no action on your part. This means you enjoy an unexpected windfall, a kindness you didn’t specifically earn, or a gift you have been given. Instead of having things that you take for granted, you actively practice being thankful and showing appreciation.
It is in some measure fate smiling on you. It is when things go your way, without you having to work for it. It stimulates your desire to be thankful, and it restores your faith in the goodness of the world.
There are several categories of things we are grateful for. If you don’t know how to decide what to be grateful for, then this list of areas in your life where gratitude should manifest may help you realize just how extensively you are surrounded by things to be grateful for every single day.
- Appreciation of other people
There are people around you every single day. Whether these are strangers or family or colleagues, you interact with them all. In those interactions, the seeds of gratitude are hidden. Your attitude of gratitude around people can make a huge difference in your life and in your world view.
These people do things for you, they share moments with you, and they influence you in positive (and sometimes negative) ways. A smile, a random act of kindness, having your doorman say “good morning” in a cheerful way—these are all things to be grateful for. Any time you feel like you should say thank you, you are experiencing a moment of gratitude—notice it.
- Focus on what you have
When you are busy living or busy complaining, you tend to forget that you already have amazing things to be grateful for. Focus on what you have and notice the things, people, places, and memories in your life and you will experience gratitude.
- Find beauty
There’s an old story about two men who shared a jail cell, and while one looked down and saw mud, the other looked up and saw stars. What you look for will manifest in your life. Find beauty, celebrate it, be grateful for it, and you will know joy.
Even when you are stuck in dark times such as the 2020 pandemic, you can find joy. Should there be nothing to be grateful for and no beauty to celebrate, then you can do what Jordan Peterson calls “pet the cat.” Simply find beauty (even if it’s a stray cat asking for love) right where you are, in the dark, in the filth, in the direst of times and enjoy it. Give gratitude for it and experience awe.
- Gratitude should be expressed
When you find something to be grateful for, you should express it. Allow yourself to enjoy the warmth of that feeling of benefit and being showered with blessings (even if it’s just because a stranger said hello).
- Live in this moment
Many of our woes are caused by looking to the future and worrying or dwelling on the past. Living in the moment means we can simply look at the here and now, find what is amazing and extraordinary in this moment, and celebrate it.
- Positive comparisons
While we are quick to look at people we perceive as having more than we do and feeling envious, we can and should look to those who are less fortunate than us. When you then look at your life, you will begin to see things you have been taking for granted in a new light and give thanks.
When you begin practicing gratitude, you will experience what researchers call the big-5: Extroverted living or reaching out to others, agreeability, being open, living conscientiously (or mindfully), and as a bonus, negative emotions such as neuroticism are kept in check.
Do you experience the big-5 in your daily life? There are so many things to really be grateful for, and when you begin to celebrate them daily, your life changes for the better.
21 Things to Be Grateful for Daily
When you really start looking, you will find way more than 21 things to be grateful for in your daily life. Yet, it is a good number to start with, and you will probably find at least these 21 things in your life. Now, you should start practicing gratitude for these and see what changes unfold in your life:
- Your Family
While not all of us have the best of relationships with our family, the notion of family also extends to those we see as family such as close friends. These are the people who stick with you through thick and thin.
Your family are the people closest to you, and you interact with them on a regular, if not daily, basis. They see you at your best and at your worst, and they still love you regardless.
- Your Senses
Oh, how many times have you looked at a sunset and not even really seen it? Does your mouth still water when you walk past the bakery on the corner? Your senses aren’t always explored to the full, and this robs your world of beauty.
Allow yourself to dress in gorgeous fabric, taste a delicious cup of tea, and listen to good music. These are all things to be thankful for. Imagine living without any sense of taste or touch or smell or sound.
- Your Voice and Words
Being able to speak (and in some non-Western countries this is not a right), you should celebrate your voice and the words you speak. Enjoy the sound of your own voice, letting the words roll off your tongue like candy. Knowing you can speak freely is a blessing.
You could have been born with a disability limiting your communication abilities or you could have been born into a culture where you are not allowed to speak up in public. Celebrate and be grateful for what you have simply by opening your mouth daily.
- Your Body
All too often we complain about everything that is wrong with our bodies. It’s natural, but the reality is that you have a fabulous body. It is perfect in every way, regardless of what you think is lacking with it.
There are people whose bodies are severely deformed, but they are happy. People suffer terrible body conditions, but they are still grateful. So, you should be grateful for your body, no matter whether you think it’s pretty, fat, thin, tall, short, or just kinda goofy.
One of the most amazing examples of being grateful for your body, despite physical challenges is the story of Nick Vujicic who was born without arms and legs but has become an amazing motivational speaker.
Be thankful for your body, accepting its shape, dynamics, challenges, and abilities. Enjoy using it, living in it, and being around it. You are wonderfully made.
- Your Mind
Compared to other diseases, there is a substantial percentage of people (19.1%) in the U.S. who struggle with mental illness. This could be stress-related mental decline, ageing diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, or just plain mental fade. However, having a brain that is active, able, and fully functioning is a blessing you should be thankful for.
Celebrate your mind, take care of it, enjoy it, and develop it. In the classic words of Baz Luhrmann, “you’ll miss it when it’s gone.”
- Your Health
Being healthy is not always up to us. When you are free from diseases and painful health limiting conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, you should show appreciation. You can combine this with celebrating your body.
Health is not for sale. Even the wealthiest people on earth also face ill health like the rest of us. Being blessed with good health is a gift that keeps on giving. Even if you are not in top health, there are always people who have it worse than you do, so feel grateful for the health you do have.
- Life Teachers
Someone has taken the time to teach you, mold you, and shape you into who you are today. Be thankful that they took the time to help you become who you were meant to be.
Take a moment to reflect on who you can thank for helping you learn about life and living. This could be school teachers, musicians, the bus driver who shared his wisdom each time you got on before school, or even your folks.
You don’t exist in a vacuum, so be aware of the paths that intersect with yours in life. Ultimately, you are who you are because of someone else. Acknowledge them.
- Hard Times
Oh, you probably wish you could forget these, but you shouldn’t. Be thankful for each burden you carried, for each hardship you successfully faced, for each failure you learned from, and for each trial you overcame. These made you stronger.
Celebrate hard times. Don’t push them to the back of your mind, and you will be better equipped to deal with future trials. Life isn’t meant to be smooth sailing, so learn to weather the storm.
- Sunrise and Sunset
While these are certainly beautiful, you should be grateful for them since they indicate the start and end to the day. Having a sunrise signifies that you are blessed with another day and its opportunities. Seeing a sunset means you have overcome the day’s challenges and can now rest.
- Smiles
Being surrounded by sad or angry faces all day, you soon cherish a smile. Even if that smile is your own. Take some time to smile at yourself in the mirror, celebrating the joy of living.
Seek out smiles when your day feels too dark. There is something magical in seeing someone’s face light up, watching their lips crescent into a beautiful curve that visits their eyes to bring forth their joy to dance with yours.
- The Earth and Nature
This is your real home. Out in nature, surrounded by the glory of plants and animals, you can find a peace that transcends anything the modern world offers. If you are feeling closed in or forgotten, simply walk outside and kick your shoes off before digging your toes into the earth’s rich body.
Smell the scent of the trees, leaves, animals, and the cool breeze. Feel connected, and allow yourself to become still. This is where creation began, and you can remind yourself that we humans are the pinnacle of that creation—we are worthy.
- Books, Movies, and Songs
While these are entertaining, they serve a deeper purpose, connecting you to the minds of other people and shaping your own way of thinking. Words have the power to change minds and hearts, unlocking your hidden potential. Be grateful for them.
Choose books, movies, and songs that fill you with hope, purpose, and joy. Allow the messages being shared from someone else’s mind to come visit with your consciousness. We humans are so different from other animals, and this sharing of thoughts and knowledge sets us apart.
If you haven’t watched a movie or read a book recently, then engage with this media, broadening your mind and celebrating with gratitude that someone took the time to put pen to paper or print their dreams for you to view.
- Technology
This is often taken for granted, but consider what someone would have said a mere hundred years ago if they saw our age with the internet, mobile technologies, incredible medical advances, and connective devices. We have much to be grateful for here.
Every day you use technology without giving thanks for how it improves your life or makes your day easier. From the humble espresso machine to pop-up toasters that start your day to air conditioning units and massage chairs that ease you in comfort at the end of the day. There is much to thank in our uses of technology.
- Time
No matter your age, time is something to be grateful for. It is a finite resource that runs out before you know it. By showing gratitude to time, you are multiplying your joy at living.
Life is short, so there are no excuses that justify being “bored.” If you find yourself wasting time, you are not practicing gratitude. Don’t ever assume there will be more time. Gratefully use what time you have and be thankful for it. There is no time like the present, which is why it’s a gift.
- Friends and Enemies
While you most likely understand why you should be grateful for your friends (after all, they build you up and make you feel good), you should be equally grateful for your enemies. Those people who challenge you, push you to be more to keep up with them, and confront you are also valuable in making you who you are.
Be grateful for those who make life difficult. Chances are you will learn the most from them. While friends tend to mirror us, enemies oppose us, making us really think of who we are and what we want. Thank your enemies for they do more for you than some friends do.
- Strangers
Sometimes you get the most unexpected joy or help or perspective from a complete stranger. This is so much more than just having a Good Samaritan help you change your flat tire. Strangers can appear when you least expect it, acting in ways you can’t predict but sharing the good intentions of fate with you.
If you think about it, even your dearest friend was once a stranger. So, thank strangers who enter your life. They may pass through leaving momentary joy and assistance, or they may stick around, becoming part of your tribe.
Practice gratitude by being a well-meaning stranger to someone you don’t know. If you can help a stranger, do. Gratitude is something we should pay forward. Instead of trying to reward someone who helps you, spread that aid into the future by helping another stranger out in the world.
- Takeout and Home-Cooked Food
Most of us forget to be thankful for the food we eat. We quickly check calories, complain about restaurant service, and starve ourselves. Being mindful of what we eat, savoring the experience, and showing gratitude towards our food has the power to change our relationship with food for the better.
This is perhaps why most religions pray before every meal as a thanksgiving. Not everyone gets to eat regular meals, so being thankful for the food you get and expressing this by not wasting is a huge deal.
While eating takeout is a happy choice, enjoying a home-cooked meal also appeals to many. Being grateful for either kind of food is important.
- Being Understood
This is a truly wonderful thing. While most of us move through life feeling misunderstood, when we do make a connection and feel like someone gets us, it is brilliant. Show gratitude by trying to understand others, and when the right person who understands you crosses your path, you will treasure them all the more.
While we love large gestures of being understood, we should celebrate small ones too. Be thankful for the coworker who grins when you tell a joke or gets your tongue-in-cheek comments. Gratefully savor the friend who starts nodding when you are explaining, their eyes lighting up with insight.
In a confusing world, being understood is perhaps one of the most precious gifts you could receive. Be sure to return it too. Try to understand that difficult colleague at work, make the effort to connect with a distant family member, and draw in the shy girl in your group to make her feel like she belongs.
- Sound Sleep
Perhaps one of the most underrated things to be grateful for is a good night’s sleep. This should be the norm and not the exception, but feeling grateful for a sound sleep doubles the sensation and makes you relish the thought of another night’s sound sleep.
If you struggle with sound sleep, you can consider one of the many sleep meditation tracks available on YouTube or consult with your physician about how to improve your sleep routine. Gratitude is great, but you can and should work at the things you do to be grateful for the results you crave.
With sleep, you shouldn’t rely on popping a pill. Being prepared for sleep before you try to go to sleep is part of the secret to success.
- Good News
We love receiving good news, and it should be celebrated. Just think of when you were a student and you jumped for joy each time you got a test result back. All too often, we simply take good news in stride and move on.
Give yourself permission to stop and enjoy the sensation of success, goodness, happy tidings, and whatever else you received as good news. Feel that glow in your soul as you savor receiving happy tidings. Tell someone about your good news, seeing them share in your joy. “Joy shared is joy multiplied,” as the Swedish proverb says.
- Yourself
Saving the best for last, you should be grateful for yourself. While you aren’t perfect, you are unique and you are you. This is worth celebrating.
Being you means being different, brave, and resourceful. You should celebrate your life, with all its ups and downs, because it’s the only one you have. Starting each day with a feeling of gratitude for the life you are living is a surefire way to increase your positivity.
Ending each day, grateful for what you did today, how you lived up to more of your ideals, and allowing yourself a sense of achievement sets you up for a good night’s rest. Even if your life isn’t exactly as you envisioned it, and you may even have needs that are still unsatisfied, it is still better to have your life than no life at all.
With gratitude, you can begin to create the changes you desire, and you can strive for more of what you want to see in your life. This is because self-gratitude fills you with the power of hope and positivity. Feeling unhappy with who you are leads to negativity and inertia.
How to Celebrate Your Gratitude
Celebrating gratitude magnifies it, but how do you do it? Here are three ways to celebrate your gratitude and give thanks for the blessings in your life:
- Keep a gratitude journal where you reflect on the things to celebrate in your life.
- Choose three things each morning to celebrate. This could be a great pair of shoes, a good night’s rest, or even a morning message from your best friend.
- Host a celebration party for your friends and family where you each get to share something you are grateful for. This could be an annual event and could coincide with World Gratitude Day on September, 21.
Are You Grateful?
- What does gratitude really mean?
Gratitude can be replaced with the word thankfulness. It’s when you reach a state of contentment and joy in your life. You are thankful for what you have and at peace with the daily struggles you face. Gratitude means to be and act positively.
- What happens when you practice gratitude?
You become aware of what you had not previously noticed, and you are now thankful for those. Practice gratitude by reflecting on the things you have ignored. When you think about what you are thankful for, you amplify positive thoughts and actions.
A Final Thank You
Do you see your life, your day, and your moments as being gratitude worthy? You should. Experiencing and expressing gratitude is not about being picky or only choosing the best of everything.
Real gratitude is about being thankful for every and any act of compassion, joy, and connection. It is about realizing you are not alone on this road of life, and being thankful for the sharing, caring, and miracles that happen.
You should practice gratitude as it doubles your joy and seems to multiply the benefits of being thankful. Making gratitude part of daily life enriches your living experience, clears your focus, and helps you to realize what matters in each day.
Gratitude is not something you dust off when it is time for church or around the time of Thanksgiving celebrations. It should become part of your daily routine for you to enjoy the full benefits of being grateful. Daily gratitude is the only thing that can improve your life as it creates an attitude of gratitude.
When you give yourself some time to think about what is in your life to be grateful for, you might be surprised. Your list will certainly be longer than a mere 21 items. What do you see, experience, and do in your day to be grateful for?
Do you wake up, have clean clothes to wear, slip your feet into comfortable shoes, have a delicious cup of tea, hug your loved ones, share a laugh, play tug of war with your dog, slide behind the wheel of your modest but reliable vehicle, nip through light traffic to get to work, or enjoy your favorite music while you wait in traffic?