It’s only natural for people to hope for a life where there are no hardships and challenges. A life where we can simply be happy with what we have and where we are now. But these obstacles we try to avoid, or that we wish not to experience, are also a part of life. So exactly how can we be truly happy? The answer is actually really simple: we just have to live a life of gratitude.
A happy life is about understanding and accepting the way things are, but still being grateful for the good you already have around you. It’s a choice wherein we would focus our minds towards positive energy rather than at events that could cause negativity. Admittedly, it’s easier said than done. However, the best way to start is by being grateful. To do this, you should first understand the importance and power of gratitude as well as practicing it in your daily life.
There are several ways to start living a grateful life. An example of gratitude could be acts of service for the people who are close to your heart. An act as simple as this affects both you and the person receiving it. It could also be just learning to appreciate what surrounds you.
Here are a few examples of gratitude to inspire you to make gratitude a part of your everyday life:
Remind yourself that you are blessed.
The first step to applying gratitude is by keeping yourself reminded of your blessings. Whether it’s getting a bonus from work, a good grade from a class you struggled with, being able to eat another meal, or even just having another chance to live another day.
Remembering the blessing you’ve received, both big and small, helps you realize exactly what there is to be grateful for. And when that happens, it gives you reason to be happier with the life you have now.
Say “Thank You” more often.
You’d be surprised how big of a difference expressing your thanks can do. Saying “thank you” to other people more does a lot for both you and the person you are thanking.
Gratitude is a factor in building stronger relationships and makes others feel better. So, when you express it, you’re spreading it too! Practice saying thanks to someone else, regardless of how simple the reason may be.
Start a gratitude journal.
A gratitude journal is a good practice to keep gratitude a daily part of your life. You can start by writing three things you are grateful for each day. An act as simple as this keeps you reminded of your blessings. Your journal can grow with different gratitude journal prompts the more you do this practice.
It doesn’t have to be a physical notebook or a real journal. There are alternatives online that can help you keep track and may be more convenient, especially for someone who’s always busy. A good one to check out is Three Things Daily.
It’s also great to keep a gratitude journal in hand when you’re stuck in a rut or having a bad day. Once you realize there’s a lot more to be grateful for, your mood can turn around. When you look back at the moments you were down, it can also serve as a reminder that you got overcame a challenge -and that’s definitely something to be grateful for!
Be grateful for both what you love and what you hate.
A lot of negativity that comes from us stems from feelings of hatred. That’s just natural for humans to feel. It’s true that you can’t simply love what you hate, but you can be grateful for it. Every bad moment will have a good side to it. You have the choice to choose how you view it.
Say, you got in the company you dream of but for a job position you don’t desire. Instead of focusing on the job, think of it as an opportunity to be grateful for. When you feel happier and grateful with where you are, you’ll start noticing the bigger chances come up.
Pay attention to the little beauties around you.
Even the small wonders of life are something to be grateful for. The songs birds sing in the morning, the way the wind makes the trees dance, and the view of the sun setting against the ocean. You experience these every day, but did you ever take the time to really look at them?
When you get the chance, simply look around you. You’d find how beautiful life is being just the way it is. Those little things all add up into the world that we live in, and it’s wonderful! Being grateful for the little wonders can really change your perspective of things. Eventually, you’ll learn to apply it to bigger parts of your everyday.
Show appreciation and acknowledgement for the good that people give you.
We tend to forget how important expressing appreciation is. With the people we see every day, we acknowledge what they do for us lesser each time. But when you practice gratitude, you’ll learn to express this naturally. How big or small the act they do would no longer matter.
Being appreciative of the good you receive from others encourage feelings of gratitude. It allows you to be thankful to them and what they do for you. Learning to be grateful for other people can make you feel happier as well as the people you express gratitude and appreciation for.
Living a Life of Gratitude
Sometimes, a change of perspective is all you need to completely turn your life around. These examples of gratitude can affect the way you approach the situation you encounter each day. Practicing gratitude shapes your mindset and leads you towards a happier life without having to really do much to change what’s around you. Simply put, your life stays the same way but instead you see it differently.
Living a grateful life also gives you room to grow. It lets you see how important every moment and every day is. And when you start understanding this, you’ll surely spend each day focusing on the good no matter how much negativity is around you!
