Last day of the year. So much to look back and so much optimism to look forward too. I want you think of all the things you can be grateful for today. Even if you read this after December 31, that’s fine. It just means that you’re still alive, you’re alive in a time where there is still peace, that you have enough health and leisure time to even read my letter to you.
How about the other little things?
Do you remember the last person on the street that smiled at you? How about the person that held the door open for you? That nice weather outside or the food that you just had a while ago? Or if you’re reading this from your phone or laptop with internet, that you have a device to learn from with connectivity to the world? We tend to forget the little things in life because it’s there. The smaller details don’t matter, compared to the bigger things in front of us.
The radiance of how positive gratitude is, is such a wonder for me.
If you knew that today is your last day on this Earth, that it was going to end in a few hours, are you going to be more thankful for so many things? Or are you going to worry what to wear on your last hour? How much greater would your life be if you started each day full of gratitude? Different, right? It feels good to see the beauty in life, instead of pointing out what’s so wrong or fucked up in our current situation. Try to let gratitude carry you through your morning to the night. Let that touch every part of your life. Doesn’t it feel good? It does. And it gets addicting to be grateful, I’ll tell you that.
What are the 3 things you’re grateful for? Don’t think, just write it down fast.
January 1, 2021 Author Khel Lawrence
I am really not used to being thankful for the small things in life as they are just little things that make our everyday lives complete. I only thank for those big instances that made a huge impact on my life. But now, I changed my perspective. Ever since this pandemic happened, I am always grateful for everything that is happening around me. I am always thankful for my health and being alive everyday.
I agree with Coach Ton has mentioned here that we should always be grateful for all the small details that happens to us everyday. Whether it may be good or bad, think of the saying from Marilyn Monroe: “Everything happens for a reason” — We may not understand it now, but sooner or later, we will learn to understand them bit by bit.
January 1, 2021 Author Mike Ulep
I agree with what coach has mentioned here. We should always be thankful for everything little things that happens to us. The air we breathe in, the food and beverage we intake, the cloth and shelter that protects us, and most importantly to God, who gave us another chance to live day by day.
Be thankful for everything that you presently have.
February 9, 2021 Author James Santos
When you feel gratitude, you literally change the world. The world in which the glass is half-full is not the same as the one in which the glass is half-empty. When you feel grateful, you change your reality, you change the universe in which you exist.
February 9, 2021 Author Edward
To be grateful is to recognize the effort, dedication, and affection of others, an attitude that encourages more loving relationships based on understanding. Gratitude makes you empathize and, consequently, attract good energy to your side.
Be sure to verbalize your gratitude. Let go of pride and know-how to thank for the favours they do for you
February 9, 2021 Author Anton
By taking the attitude of giving thanks, we are opening space to share our feelings with others, in this case, gratitude, humility, and compassion. Not “holding” emotions and feeling free to live them positively can help to diminish (and greatly) that feeling of constant anxiety.
Thanking you doesn’t cost anything and is easier than you think, but if you still don’t feel ready for it (for various reasons), try writing a letter of thanks.
February 9, 2021 Author Anton
Maintaining an attitude of gratitude helps to improve self-esteem and reduces the chances of facing future depression. By recognizing the positive points you have in life, negative feelings like envy and frustration will not contaminate you.
When you wake up, every day, find a reason to be happy and repeat out loud: “Today I am grateful for …” or “I feel good when …”. You can also do this exercise at the end of the day, repeating before going to sleep: “My favorite part of the day was …”.
February 9, 2021 Author Anton
Make more friends. By being a grateful person, you maintain a stronger connection with others and the world around you. Sympathy and empathy, which are typical of grateful people, make their interpersonal relationships broadened and improved.
February 9, 2021 Author Nico
Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools we have for life improvement – it’s one of the straightest and shortest paths to happiness and connection, and it utilizes thankfulness for things we already have rather than goading us toward what’s currently out of reach.
We can’t really summon the powers of gratitude if we’re just going through the motions — we have to remind ourselves of the reasons we have to be grateful.
Try to remember what a friend did for you recently. Think about valuable lessons you’ve taken away from a tough learning process. Even remembering an exceptionally delicious meal you’ve had – these are all things you know and can be used to plant the seed of gratitude.
February 9, 2021 Author Nico
Once we start thinking of gratitude as a kind of knowing, we can work with it in our everyday lives.
Knowing gives us three things: a way to keep us focused on the good in our lives, a way to stay connected with people in our network, and a way to express generosity.
February 9, 2021 Author Nigel
Gratitude is transformative – it allows us to accept even negative truths as gifts and learn from them. It’s facing our problems and growing from the sometimes hard lessons rather than ignoring or denying that problems exist.
If you can feel a curiosity – maybe even a little excitement about what you might gain from any situation – then you’re already tapping into your gratitude.
February 9, 2021 Author Nigel
Start saying “yes” to everything on a cognitive level. Accept things as they are rather than how you wish they were. Take a moment to reflect on what went well every day. It will go from a deliberate practice to something that’s automatic.
Communicate with those who make you grateful. Take 30 seconds to send your friend or colleague a text, an email, or a handwritten note to thank them for whatever way they made your life better.
If you’re looking for a way to maintain good connections and building social capital in your network, this may just top the list.
February 9, 2021 Author Genesis
I try to start my day by taking a few minutes to think about just how happy I am to wake up again and to be able to see the colours of the world. Every day is unique and a chance to meet new people and have new experiences. I remind myself that although I am used to being alive, it doesn’t make life itself any less incredible. I feel deeply grateful for having this opportunity and being able to work on my goals.
I do something very similar right before falling asleep. I once again feel gratitude for being able to have such a great day. I feel gratitude for the people that I communicated with and for the experiences I’ve had. I also remind myself that today I learned something I didn’t know yesterday, and tomorrow I’ll learn something I don’t know today.
February 9, 2021 Author Genesis
There are many other ways to express gratitude, such as feeling it for the food we consume or for the home that we live in.
Ideally, gratitude is something we can experience at every moment of our life, but this is something that usually only highly spiritual people do. It’s possible for everyone to live this way, but it requires a certain level of personal development.
Gratitude allows us to live a fulfilling life, in which we understand that absolutely everything that happens to us, even all of the negative stuff, happens for a reason. We learn to respect all life’s lessons, and therefore live a much more meaningful life.
Hope this helps.
February 9, 2021 Author James Santos
When you focus on appreciating what you have, you feel less concerned about what you lack, and that can help boost confidence.
Now that I’m more accepting of myself and my life, I don’t compare myself to others and I take pride in paving my own path. It’s a great feeling to do things that are best for me and my family, without trying to please the rest of the world.
February 9, 2021 Author Dwayne
Practicing gratitude has led me to greater happiness and a better me. The same can happen for you.
Allow yourself to live simply and make life less complex, in as many ways possible; remove unneeded possessions, stop doing unimportant tasks, or say “no, thank you” to an activity that doesn’t fit in the schedule.
Start each day with gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for—family, watching spring bloom, your favorite song, or feeling the warm sun on your face. And don’t forget to smile when thinking about these things; it’s a quick and easy way to fill your heart with gratitude and live in those extraordinary moments.
February 9, 2021 Author Jerome
Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
February 9, 2021 Author Joseph Santos
Gratitude is not only about being thankful for all the good things but also to even those who are not right to us because they are the ones who emerge the hidden power within us. We all hear of people, who in times of crisis, emerge some magical powers in them. They do things which are impossible for them otherwise because it was that crisis which got that power from them out. That’s not just physical power, even emotional power. So we should also have the power to go up to them and express gratitude – just say a hello or wish a good morning maybe. They may not be as good but we are doing it for our own happiness and mental peace.
Gratitude is always a powerful practice.
February 9, 2021 Author Redido
When practicing gratitude, you bring back the focus to yourself. It’s a way of self-centering your energy and a confidence booster.
All day long, you have to take care of a gazillion things without stopping: hectic schedule, meetings, medical appointments, studying, childcare, family vacation, birthday gifts…etc.
Gratitude helps you recognise what you have accumulated, learned, met and accomplished. It soothes the spirit and makes you feel good about yourself.