A few years ago, floods tore half my city in one night. We were stranded with broken roads, no electricity, water, or fuel, and I had no idea when life would return to normality.
But I was still okay because I was alive and had an undamaged home, unlike the thousands who are still homeless and a thousand more who lost their lives.
Two days ago, my cousin got married. It was the best wedding I’d ever attended, and we had so much fun that we were vibrating with excitement. However, something horrible happened a few hours after the wedding. Someone we saw every day for the last week had a major accident and died instantly.
We went from feeling the highest of highs to being plunged into the lowest of lows.
Suddenly, all the insignificant things I’d been worrying about, like the fact that I’m miles behind my friends and family in terms of meeting life’s milestones, i.e., marriage, a well-paying job, etc., felt meaningless.
I have so much to be grateful for, and I didn’t even know it.
I’m done being sad and whiny about my supposedly shitty hand in life. From now on, I’ve vowed to treat each day like it’s my last and count my blessings every moment of the day.
Gratitude is the only thing that can pull you out of darkness and help you celebrate the life you have!
In the rest of this article, I’ll explore why you should be grateful for your life and 8 ways to start practicing gratitude today.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Be Grateful for Your Life
Life isn’t easy, and there will always be struggles to overcome. In such situations, it’s easy to forget the good in our lives, complain, and shout out at the world’s unfairness. But if you look closely, you’ll find you’re in a better space than most.
Gratitude gives you a healthy dose of positivity and hope. Armed with these two weapons, you’ll be able to face any challenging situation bravely.
Related Post: 25 Things to Be Grateful for In Your Life Instead of Complaining
How to Be Grateful for Your Life
1. Find the Positive Lesson, Even If It’s Microscopic
You’ll notice that people who only see the negative in situations are the worst people to be around. They’re unhappy, drip with toxic energy, and nobody wants to be around them.
But if you become someone who finds positive lessons in their problems, then you’re already more evolved than most.
It’s not always easy to find the positive in the negative, but if you don’t try, then you’re inviting more misery into your life.
And positivity is like compound interest — the more positivity you find, the more positivity you’ll receive over time. So, try and look at your problem from a new perspective.
Related Post: How to Stay Positive During Difficult Times: 13 Practical Tips
2. Take a Detour Into Another’s Life
When life isn’t perfect, we naturally assume that we’re the only ones suffering or that the magnitude of our suffering outweighs the rest of the world’s.
But we’re wrong. I can guarantee that whatever situation you’re going through is still better than most. In fact, I’m sure there are others who’d love to be in your position.
Step into someone else’s shoes, and you’ll quickly realize that you’re in a much better place than they are.
For example, losing a job is tough, but if you look at your colleague who lost their job and has a sick child to take care of, your situation is infinitely better.
3. Stop Complaining
Complainers achieve nothing except a raging headache and deep-seated anger issues. It’s like repeatedly slamming your head into a wall and getting upset because it doesn’t move.
You can’t change your situation by complaining, nor can you by seeing the positive side of things. However, the benefit of the latter is that you become a happier person, rather than someone who’s anxious all the time.
I used to be a complainer before I discovered the world of personal development. Everything was a problem for me, and eventually, I got sick of my own ramblings.
But it was an easy habit to break when I started focusing on the positives instead of the negatives.
4. Count Your Blessings
You might be in pain, miserable, and sad, but that means you’re still alive. And isn’t that great?
Appreciate all the little things in your life, even if they seem silly.
If you have a cup of tea, close your eyes, savor, and appreciate it. Watch your cat tread through the grass with wonder. And soak in the sunshine on a crisp morning.
Don’t take things for granted because these little things could be gone one day.
5. Know that Nothing Lasts Forever
Both good and bad times come and go. However, we forget this when we’re going through a challenging time. We see no way out and expect to be in a mess forever.
But the one constant rule in the Universe is that everything must change.
The tides have to turn, the moon has to go through phases, seasons have to change, and dawn will shift to dusk and vice versa.
So, in your good times, enjoy them and remember to say a prayer of gratitude. In your bad times, let go of fear and uncertainty and know that “this too shall pass.”
Related Post: 7 Actions to Take When You’ve Lost Your Spirit and Love for Life
6. Talk to Yourself
When you’re in a dark space and unable to see the light, the best thing to do is say positive, uplifting things to yourself.
Only you feel the extent of your emotions, so only you can pull yourself out of a deep chasm.
There’ve been countless occasions when I’ve had to give myself a good talk to calm down. I tell myself that I have so many things to be grateful for, and I recite each of my blessings aloud.
Talking to yourself works better than writing in a gratitude journal because sometimes you’re so far gone that you aren’t in the right headspace to pull out a pen and paper and write.
But you can always speak yourself into gratefulness anywhere, and you’ll instantly feel better.
7. Remember the Tough Times You’ve Overcome
When we’re going through a stressful period, it can feel like the worst moment of our lives. However, when it passes and we look back, we realize it wasn’t as bad as what we’ve previously faced.
You’ve fought worse battles and bravely overcame them. Remember this as you fight through your current battle. It will help you feel grateful and give you a burst of strength and motivation.
8. Appreciate the People In Your Life
Growing up as an only child made me a recluse, even amongst my family. I loved being alone and despised going out with friends or having family come over to my house.
However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate my immediate family. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, these people stood by my side. They lent me a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen to me whine, and their hearts to carry half my burden.
So, be thankful for your loved ones — your friends, co-workers, significant other, or family. Life would be empty without the people you care about.
Final Thoughts
Life will never be perfect. There’ll always be ups and downs.
However, instead of complaining and feeling like the world is against you, look for the positive and be thankful for your tiny blessings. That’s the only way you’ll be able to move forward and achieve great things.
Gratitude happens when you stop looking at yourself as a victim of life and start to take control of it instead.