Have you ever wondered if you could increase your own personal level of happiness simply by focusing on things to be grateful for in life instead of focusing on the bad stuff? Check out the following list that will remind you of all of the great things in your life.
A simple mindset shift away from negative thinking and towards more positive thinking is super powerful and can change your whole life. One super simple way to do this is to focus your energy on things to be grateful for in life instead of anything stressful or negative in your life.
In research studies related to positive psychology, it has been repeatedly determined that the practice of gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness. People who have a regular and consistent gratitude practice are happier and more content in their lives.
Furthermore, my friends, giving gratitude on a regular basis will help you to feel more positive emotions, have greater appreciation, reduce stress levels, and be a great role model for others.
This post is all about the things to be grateful for in life.
But first…How to express gratitude:
In a minute, you will read about a bunch of ideas for things to be grateful for in life. However, how do you show that gratitude?
It’s really very easy and there are a number of ways for you to express your thankful emotions.
- Talk about it with others – Tell others about the great things happening in your life. Thank others for their part in your journey.
- Journal about it – Start a gratitude journal. On a daily basis, take the time to write down at least 3 things for which you are thankful. These can be simple or profound. The choice is yours.
- Pray – If you are religious, thank God for all of the things in your life for which you are thankful.
- Meditate – Take 5 minutes to sit still and clear your mind. Choose one good thing in your life to focus on while you breathe in and out (the sun on your face, the nice weather, your health, etc.).
- Complete affirmations – I love affirmations for a number of reasons. You are able to get excited about something by saying it out loud and giving thanks for it. I like saying my affirmations in my car. I repeat both the things I am thankful for and also the things I am thankful for that have not even happened yet. I am a believer in the law of attraction and affirmations help to keep me on track. Read all about the power of affirmations in this post.
- Thank you notes – This is such a simple way to express gratitude. This gesture will go a long way to build better relationships with others whether it is in your personal or work life. We are all so used to communicating digitally. Get yourself a stack of thank you notes from the dollar store and put them to use with handwritten thank you notes to express your gratitude.
And now, without further adieu…
29+ Amazing Things to be grateful for in life:
- A Wonderful Spouse – hopefully, this person brings joy into your life and you can consider them your best friend.
- Amazing Children – show gratitude for your children and all that they have taught you over the years.
- Your Good Health – one of the most important things we have is our health. My father-in-law says that if it can be fixed with money, then it isn’t a problem. I always think about this when it comes to our health. No matter how much money you have, if you don’t have your health, it is meaningless.
- Life-Changing Books – Not sure about you, but books and libraries have changed my life. You can learn whatever you want with the help of books. If you use libraries, you can do it for free.
- Your Pets – My pets are such a large part of my life. I don’t actually have human kids, so I consider them my fur kids. I am their momma and I love them dearly for bringing happiness, silliness, and laughter into my life.
- A Place to Call Home – Growing up my home did not always feel so great because of some struggles I had as a kid. As an adult, I am so thankful for a beautiful, cozy home that always feels like a wonderful place to be. Regardless of where you live, I hope that your home brings you feelings of peace, calm, and a sense of security.
- An Outside Space – Show gratitude for whatever outside space you have in your life whether it be your backyard, a park, or a local trail that you enjoy. Enjoy the great outdoors and be thankful for all of the beauty that surrounds us each day.
- Reliable Transportation – However you get around, give a bit of thanks for that means of transport from one place to another. Whether you use your feet, a car, a bike, wheelchair, public transportation, or a tractor, life would be a whole lot more difficult if we did not have a way to get around.
- All Kinds of Weather – Be thankful for whatever weather comes your way. I live in the Midwest and we have all 4 seasons here. It never fails that whenever one season comes to a close, I am always thankful to be starting a new season. It literally feels like a fresh start. Learn to cultivate gratitude and seeing the beauty in all types of weather.
- Beautiful Plants and Flowers – Try visiting a park or a greenhouse or your own backyard in order to practice thankfulness for all of the types of plants that exist in our world. Cultivate a green thumb and be even more thankful!
- Soft Blankets – Don’t you just love being cozy in cooler weather with the help of a nice, soft blanket?
- Cup of Tea – While we are at it, another way of getting cozy in cold weather is with the help of a nice hot cup of tea. Mmmm. What kinds do you like? Breakfast, chai, mint, orange, apple spice?
- Music – There’s a piece of music for all kinds of moods and stages of your life. As you get older, you might not like the same types of music you liked growing up. Or maybe you do! I am and forever will be an 80’s & 90’s type of kid! I like to find music that fits my mood – quiet and restful, loud and happy, angsty, or somewhere in the middle.
- Babies – What’s not to love about cute, cuddly babies? Even better if you don’t have to change their diapers!
- Great food – I have completed practices where I fast for around 24 hours. There is nothing like a fast to make your food taste even better! Food just tastes better when you are hungry, don’t you agree? My favorite is sushi!
- Outdoor gear – Wherever we go, we have to have the proper attire. In my life, right now in fall in Ohio, things are very muddy and cold. I am so thankful to have a warm jacket and a nice pair of boots to keep my feet warm and dry when I go outside to care for my chicken friends.
- America – I am so thankful to live in this country where we are free to go after our dreams.
- Military and Police – Not sure about you, but I would not want either of these jobs. I am so thankful that there are brave folks out there willing to take on these jobs in order to keep us safe. If you are reading this, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
- Heaters – If it gets cold where you live, I am sure you will agree that a nice toasty heater makes your day feel a whole lot better.
- A Nice Clean House – Nothing feels better than a nice, clean home, am I right?
- Candles – Burning a beautifully scented candle can make your whole house feel cozy!
- Vacation – Being on vacation makes all of your cares just melt away. Regardless of where you go, be thankful for the opportunity to be on vacation.
- Wonderful Smells – Different smells can affect your mood in such a positive way. Smells are closely linked to memory, so I am sure we can all agree that we have said things like, “That smells like Christmas.” Or elementary school. Or grandma’s house. You are nodding your head. I see it.
- Flea Markets – We’ve all been there. That excited feeling you get when you go to a flea market. It’s the anticipation of not knowing what you’ll find that feels so great.
- Hot Showers – Nothing is better than a wonderfully hot shower with good smelling soap, especially when it’s cold outside. The same goes for a cool shower on a steamy hot day!
- A Cat’s Purr – Like a sweet, calming lullaby. Do you love this sound, too?
- A Shady Tree – Imagine feeling this on a hot day accompanied by a cool breeze! Scrumptious!
- The Colors of Fall – Look outside your window in fall or go for a walk and give thanks for all of the unbelievable splendor around you. Those colors were there all along. Surprise!
- Warm weather – Feel that sunshiny warmth on your face. Absorb that vitamin D!
- Dreaming dogs – Do you love your cutie pie dogs as much as me? I love when they dream and their little feet go pitter pat running in their dreams. Snoring makes it even better!
Enjoy every. single. day.
This life goes so fast, my friends. I hope that you are happy. If you are not, I hope that you take steps to increase your happiness bit by bit each day. Your life is too dang short not to be happy and to be a reflection of exactly what YOU want it to be. Work on it daily. Give thanks. Be grateful for all of the things.
This post was all about things to be grateful for in life.
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