“Gratitude is when memories are stored in the heart rather than the head.”
Lionel Hampton
“Let us thank those who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our soul blossom.”
Marcel Proust
Perhaps the simplest and most effortless habit of living a happier life is to take a minute or two each day to focus on what is already here and what you are grateful for in life.
it can help you…
- Uplift your mood and instantly boost your motivation.
- Find something in your life that you want to focus more time and energy on.
- Don’t just take things for granted, find joy even in difficult times.
It’s a great habit to adopt that requires very little but offers many rewards.
So this week, I’d like to explore five little tips you can use to cultivate more gratitude and happiness in your life.
1. Stop and look around yourself.
A simple first step in building a gratitude habit is to stop in your daily life and ask yourself questions such as:
- What can I be grateful for in my life today?
- Are there three people in my life that I am grateful for and why?
It’s okay if you can’t come up with a few things or people every day. Anything he finds one, or one, that would be great too. Don’t get hung up on numbers.
Spend a few minutes and see what you come up with.
Try not to repeat the same things too often. Instead, try to think more about the things and people in your life that you are grateful for.
2. Look at yourself.
Don’t just look outside.
See yourself too. The habit of appreciating and appreciating yourself boost self esteem and confidence.
Ask yourself:
List three things you are grateful for about yourself.
This week, you may have been a good father/mother/friend in moments of crisis. Maybe you’ve finally finished the work you’ve been putting off.
Your self-appreciation doesn’t have to be just your achievements at work or school, for example.
You just need to appreciate your sense of humor and be a good listener every once in a while and help people a lot.
3. Look closely at the very small things and the things you take for granted.
Don’t just focus on the big, obvious things you can be grateful for.
Think about what you can be grateful for, even for the smallest things.
Like the plant in front of my laptop as I write these words.
Not an outstanding plant. However, the beauty of its bright green color, the way it continues to grow with just a little water and sunlight, and the faint scent of nature makes me feel simple and grateful.
Another thing I’m grateful for today, and sometimes I take it for granted, is lunch. It was some potatoes and grilled chicken and a little sauce. It was delicious.
And, more importantly, you don’t have to go hungry. I am in a very fortunate position to be able to eat lunch every day.
Ask yourself:
- What is the smallest thing you can be grateful for today?
- What is something you can be grateful for that you usually take for granted?
You truly see more of the simple beauty in life when you look at the small everyday things you can appreciate.
4. Run early or late in the day.
But how do you make a habit of gratitude stick, without forgetting or abandoning it after a few days?
Here are two that I’ve found to be effective:
- Take a minute in the morning to find three things in your life that you are grateful for and get your day off to a good start.
- Take a minute or two each night to write down 3-5 things you are grateful for about the day, about yourself, and about your life.
Try these small time commitments every day for a week and see how they affect your thoughts, feelings and life.
5. Express your gratitude.
Don’t keep gratitude to yourself. express it.
Expressing how grateful you are for them to be in your life will make others happy as well, and perhaps help you pay it back later.
Plus, the smiles and joy in their eyes when you tell them this will make you even happier.
That gratitude may be just a few sentences. But it can sometimes have a huge impact on someone’s day, week, or even life.
So tell those around you.
Tell them directly tonight. Or write an e-mail or letter to someone a little farther in the world. Or send a small text message now.
