How Can I Be More Grateful? How To Give Life New Meaning
When it comes to being content with what comes your way, do you automatically think “wow, that’s awesome!” Or is it more like “Is that it?”
If it’s the first one then you are already doing well but if it’s the second one then you need to really read this article and reshape you you see yourself in this life.
Simply put being grateful is when you are genuinely happy for something that comes into your life, whether it’s big or small, material or not. Being grateful, therefore, is to accept these things with dignity, humility and a real sense of appreciation for what they are and not their perceived value
There are ways you can improve your sense of gratitude, however, but it really focuses on you being more aware of everything around you and what it really means.
Make a list
You can start by making a list. When you do this you may find yourself being shocked. Think about those less fortunate than yourself and you will immediately find so many things to be grateful for. Examples include:
- Food every day
- A home to live in
- Friends and/or family
- Your health
- Being alive
- Sunshine
- Where you live
The list is potentially endless. Even if there are bad things in your life you can still find things associated with that problem to be grateful for. I have a disc injury in my lower back, for example, it causes me mild to severe pain every day. How can I find gratitude here? Well I am grateful that I am strong enough to endure the pain, I am grateful that despite the condition I still have 95% of my mobility and I am grateful that I have the knowledge to keep my condition from debilitating me.
I personally could make a list of about 500 things to be grateful for before I really had to stop and think. Try it for yourself. Once you have the list in front of you it really puts things into perspective.
Look at the list each and every day. Think about the things you are grateful for on that list and then take a moment to think about someone who does not have it and how your life would be different if you didn’t.
It can change how you view your world in such a way you will never be the same person again (hint: you will be a much better one)
Pay it forward
I live this one as it really impacts others around you. How can you pay it forward exactly? Well you can help others in need, in essence they do not have the tools to do what you may be able to more easily.
Share your meal with someone who may not have eaten that day, help someone across the street who may not have the ability to cross safely.
Even something minor like an offhand compliment to someone can make their day. If you are getting coffee, tell the barista they are efficient and fast. In a restaurant tell your server their handwriting is lovely when you get the check.
It does not have to be a certain size to have an effect. It just needs to be from the heart. You will find the more you do this the more you will see it when it’s done for you too.
Enjoy the big and the small
As you become more grateful about things you may bee others on your journey who are very ungrateful. You will often hear things like “I expect to be treated like a princess”, or “I an used to the better things in life like fine dining”
Be careful of these people and the effect they can have. People who expect big and better things are often the most ungrateful. If you were to present them with a small gift of something like a $2 candy bar they will look down their nose at it. It may be meaningful for you as it could be your last $2 but for them it’s about the cost.
If you begin to start putting a price on yourself and the level of praise and material items you expect others to shower you with then you will have quite an unfulfilled life.
If you embrace the small things in life you can learn that there are many many more small things that can make you happy, rather than waiting for that one big payoff.
Be grateful for yourself
This can be another pen and paper, make a list exercise if you so choose but it’s a good thing to not only think about but to acknowledge and celebrate.
Think about all your positive aspects, both physical and mental. Are you a good cook? Do you have a welcoming smile? Are you a good listener? Can you change a plug?
This list can also be almost endless too but it’s a very worthwhile exercise. Not only will it show you how awesome you are but it may also open up the ways you can help others too.
Don’t just think about your good points, think about the bad one’s too. You can be grateful that you have the skill to be able to find them. Not you can be grateful that you have the ability to change them as well.
Put yourself in the way of grateful moments
This sounds more confrontational than it actually is. When you put yourself in the way of grateful moment’s it means to try to become more aware of these moments when they arrive. It means to change your mindset and to become more open to the idea of grattitude.
A good example is the rain. You can see it as a bother. If you are in a big city your first thoughts of rain may be traffic jams, puddles and inconvenience.
Being grateful for rain may make you think of it washing away the air pollution in your city, you may think there are children scattered around the city having fun and jumping in those puddles, you may even think traffic slows everything down and gives the city a chance to breath.
It’s all about perspective really. Whatever you do, wherever you go and whoever you interact with, there will always be ways to be grateful if you look.
In conclusion:
Being more grateful is not about looking for and getting more reasons to show gratitude, platitudes, and to feel obligation but the complete opposite. It’s to feel more connected to everything and everyone by realizing it’s not about giving and taking, it’s about living and being, it’s appreciating that we all share, sometimes giving, sometimes taking and respecting that balance.
Having more gratitude will if we allow it to spread, healthily throughout the population will result in making ourselves better people. More caring, respectful and understanding of each other.
