Gratitude is an essential component of feeling happy. Scientists found that people who express gratitude daily are more satisfied than others. With this idea in mind, let’s see what gratitude is and how to be happy by practicing gratitude.
What is Gratitude?
Gratitude is showing appreciation for what we have.
It is a way to recognize the value of something without considering its monetary value. Scientists say it is a feeling that occurs spontaneously and represents an acknowledgment of goodness.
Ten Ways to Include More Gratitude into Your Life
1 – Be Thankful For Your Meal
Every time you eat, allow a moment to express gratitude for your food.
Do this quietly in your mind or share your thoughts with others. It helps to intently look, smell, and taste your food while giving it your full attention.
However, if you are used to shoving food into your mouth while running errands or staring at your computer and cannot change that routine just yet, take a few seconds before every bite to feel appreciation and enjoy your food.
If you are struggling to include more healthy food into your diet you may want to read How to be Happy Eating Healthy Food.
2 – Create a Gratitude Journal
Make it your daily goal to write down three things for which you are grateful.
Moreover, when you start your day focusing on all the good things around you, the world will look like a more positive place.
Some people like to write in a pretty decorated notebook. In my experience any spiral notebook will be fine. Even any blank paper where you can write on will provide a feeling of gratefulness and will focus your mind on what is good right now in your life.
Don’t worry about repeating over and over the same phrase such as: I’m grateful for my food. I’m grateful for my family. I’m grateful for my health.
Once you get into the routine, you’ll be able to add more details and find more and more things to be grateful for.
Here are more tips on How Writing Can Make You Happy.
3 – Express your Love
Tell your loved ones you appreciate them. Tell your friends they did something you cherish. Any small gesture of appreciation will allow you to share your love and appreciation.
4 – Meditate
Scientists say that ten minutes of meditation per day, allows you to clear your mind and focus on good things. Meditation can impact your brain’s chemistry, making you more compassionate.
You can meditate on everything you are grateful for.
Here you will find How to be Happy Practicing Meditation.
5 – Be Kind to Everyone, Including Yourself
If you want to learn how to practice gratitude, studies suggest you should start by being kind to yourself.
Look at your reflection in the mirror and say out loud three things you love about yourself. Also, write down positive thoughts and strategically place them where you can see them as soon as you wake up.
In addition, when you feel frustrated or disappointed, think what you did well in that situation. Instead of blaming yourself, be kind and think about it as a learning experience.
6 – Write Kind Words To People Around You
You can share gratitude by giving a simple and powerful note to someone who’s had a hard day.
Moreover, express your compassion and offer your support. Remind everyone around you what you appreciate about them. This is especially important when those around you are not having a good day or are not in a good mood.
Here are more tips on How To Be Happy By Practicing Compassion.
7 – Set up a Gratitude Board
The goal of a gratitude board is to let you see at all times why you should be grateful. Add photos of your family, friends, accomplishments, and create some positive notes.
8 – Set Up a Gratitude Jar
Each time you experience something positive, write it down. Place it in the pot and add everything good that happens to you in 12 months. When you are in a bad mood or seem unable to find anything to be grateful for, go to the jar and pick a note to remind you of the good experiences you had.
9 – Be Grateful for Life
Commit to at least ten minutes of a gratitude walk daily.
Do it during lunch breaks or while going home. Stroll in a park, or anywhere else you might get in touch with nature. Admire the beauty around you and be grateful you have the luxury to admire it. Practice being thankful for the joy of life.
10 – Concentrate on the Positive
It is simple to indulge in negative thoughts when negative events happens.
Instead of doing this, you can nurture positive thoughts. Think about the power of all the good things in your life. And always remember that unfavorable events don’t last forever.
Now that you know how to be happy practicing gratitude, include at least one of these 10 strategies in your day and you will immediately feel happier.
What is your favorite way to include more gratitude into your life?
Related Posts
Powerful Life-Changing Philosophy that Matthew McConaughey shares in his Book Greenlights
If you have not read Matthew McConaughey's book Greenlights, here you will find a summary of his...
How Working on Your Goals Makes you Happy
Do you believe goals can make you happy? Are you thinking about changing something in your life?...
What Makes a Happy Good Life? 5 Key Components
Are you wondering what makes a happy life? What makes a good life? These age-old questions have...
Gratitude is something we all need to show more of in life. It’s easy to complain about things like money btu there is always someone worse off. Be thankful for what you have not angry for what you don’t
I should be practicing more gratitude in my life because I feel I don’t do enough. I should write 3 things down each day. But I do thank my coworkers every day, even for little things.
I love the idea of a gratitude journal, I recently started doing this with my kids and although they don’t recognize the benefits just yet, I hope someday they will. I think I’ll have them read your post!
2020 I will be stepping things up in my life. Sometimes I look around and I feel disappointed, and tell myself that I can do better but in order for a new change I have practice being Gratitude.
I love this! I especially love the ideas of a gratitude jar and a journal. I have been thinking of starting a gratitude journal for a while now. I find that I am so busy writing for others that I rarely write down things for myself and I think a gratitude journal would be a great place to start!
Yup.. I agree to all your points. And that’s actually what I’m doing nowadays to be happy.
These gratitude ideas are great Norma! I’ve been practicing being grateful for my food and I meditate regularly. I love the idea of writing a kind note to express your thanks to someone or to cheer someone up.
I love this content. What a beautiful perspective and beautiful gratitude practice! Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Nice tips.. And being a man full of gratitude will not just make you happy, it can make ypu more contented, thus, that attracts success.. 😘
These are very practical and easy to implement reminders to be grateful for small and big things. The very first one resonates with me because it was something my mother taught us from a very young age.
This post is great and lovely! Always be grateful in everything. Because some have nothing. This is so motivational post. very useful in everyday life. Thank you for sharing!
I love this post that you put together … we should definitely keep them in mind not only around Thanksgiving.
I agree with everything you pointed out. Humility is the key to gratitude. If we are just humble enough to think that we are not above others, we will always be grateful for what we have.
I’ve learned a lot about how important it is to be grateful for anything and everything that happens to me. I totally agree with you, we can be super happy the moment we start to be grateful for what we have and already had.
These are very good things to change the way you view life. Every night when we sit down to dinner and say grace, we each take turns saying thank you to God for something special He did for us that day. Even things like, a stranger passed by and picked up something that we dropped. Only I have my teenager say 5 things only because even if he has a great day, he will tend to focus on the one bad thing that happened. Good post!
I really love this!!! And yes I can’t agree more with you, Gratitude is practiced and it grows on you. Great post.
I recently started journaling, and I want to start adding one thing I am grateful for in it daily. Some of these are things I work on already, but others could definitely use more work.
I like the idea of creating a gratitude journal. I may even get my kids to start one! It’s a fantastic idea.
I’ve very recently started a gratitude journal – It’s changed my perception on so many things!
I have a gratitude shadow box and I try to keep myself accountable with it using my color-coded bullet journal. Having a grateful mindset can really change your life and makes me happy.
Thank you for sharing this. Totally agree with you. Personally I am keeping a gratitude journal too. It is amazing how writing can help us change our perspective in life.
Anyway, I am inviting you to join our FB group – World Gratitude Summit. It’s a great place for all advocates of gratitude.
Thats really good idea and I think it will be good start doing it. I’m going to try it and share the results. Thank you for sharing!
I either do (currently) or have done many of these things before in my life. I am very blessed in so many ways, though I’ve certainly had my challenges over time – health, work, personal – and focusing on how fortunate I am NOW compared to some of the alternatives I’ve already experienced is all I need to feel truly grateful. If you ever feel stressed by your family, try being alone/single against your will. If you ever hate your body, spend 6 months or more recovering from major surgeries you shouldn’t have needed. And if you ever wish you didn’t have the “daily grind” of your job, try going someplace where you’re treated like dirt, paid almost nothing, and all your coworkers are miserable. (Or if that’s where you currently work, GET OUT NOW – I did, and have never looked back/am SO much happier in my new line of work!)
Gratitude makes us peaceful, kinder to ourselves and others. These are the beautiful ways to connect and share who we are.
I’ve had a super tough week, and reading this post made me stop and thank the universe for my life.
Thanks for reminding us about graditude.