I turned 25 last week, and like everyone else on their birthday, I wondered, “What exciting shall I do or buy this day?”
Everything crossed my mind, from skydiving to getting a tattoo to going on a shopping trip.
Until I realized that everything on that list meant acquiring something – either purchasing or crossing an experience off my bucket list.
And while there’s nothing wrong with spoiling yourself on your birthday, we already have what we need and should take a minute to reflect on that.
So, instead of buying something, I decided to focus only on my blessings rather than accumulating more junk I don’t require.
I can always skydive or get a tattoo, but those experiences mean zilch if I can’t appreciate what I have right now.
This post will highlight the 25 things I’m grateful for. And I’m sure you’ll relate to some, if not all, the items on my list! Let’s start practicing gratitude instead of whining like little kids, hey?
Here are 25 things to be grateful for.
Table of Contents
25 Things to Be Grateful for
1. Water and electricity
If you have access to running water and electricity, you should stop reading for 2 minutes and thank the heavens for that.
This year, my city saw the biggest water and electricity crisis. This happened due to damage to infrastructure from torrential rains. We were left without water and electricity for days. It’s been six months since this happened, and we still have water and electricity cuts daily.
This made me realize how spoiled we are and how millions worldwide have been dealing with this their entire lives.
On Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our physiological needs (basic needs like food, water, electricity, clothing, etc.) rank the highest. If we don’t have access to these things, nothing else matters, be it a social life, romantic relationships, self-improvement, etc.
Related Post: How to Be Grateful for Your Life (Especially When It’s Not Perfect)
2. The opportunity to fall in love
The last two years have been a whirlwind roller coaster of emotions because I fell in love. And I fell in love with someone who was extremely unavailable.
I became angry, frustrated, severely depressed, and fostered a negative view of love and relationships. However, I’ve matured over the last few months and now understand that love isn’t conditional.
We shouldn’t fall in love with someone expecting they will love us too.
Instead, be grateful for the opportunity to have loved – even if it was one-sided, short-lived, or ended badly.
3. Your parents
If your parents are still around, be thankful for them and SHOW them that appreciation.
The love between a child and parent is one of the purest forms of love because it’s something you never have to prove or comprehend, unlike a romantic relationship.
It just exists.
As an only child, I’ve always been labeled “spoiled” (naturally), and I am, but not in the way everyone thinks. I have never been spoiled financially or monetarily, but I’ve been spoiled with my parent’s constant love, support, and attention. And I know most kids aren’t lucky enough to get that.
Regardless of how frustrated or annoyed you get with your parents, remember that you’ll always have these two people you can rely on for unconditional love and support.
4. Your siblings/cousins/friends
If you’re fortunate enough to have siblings, forget the drama and be thankful for them.
And if you’re an only child, be grateful for your cousins. They’re the closest you’ll get to siblings.
Friendship is also a pure form of love, as friends have no duty or blood obligation to stick by you, yet they do – and sometimes unconditionally. So, send your closest circle a text, support them when they need it, and take them out for coffee or dinner whenever you can.
5. Your senses
My eyesight has been terrible since I was 12, and hours of listening to loud music means my hearing might eventually go one day.
Thinking about your senses (or lack thereof) makes you more aware of your mortality and that you are a human, not a computer.
If you’re reading this and have all your senses intact to live life as a highly functioning human, you should stop complaining about petty little things.
You can still see the vibrancy of our world and listen to the sweet sounds of your loved ones, the birds, and your favorite music.
6. Your health
As you grow older, you become more aware of your physical and mental health.
I’ve been coming across many social media posts and news stories about people who have ailing health. And it’s made me realize how lucky I am to be okay.
Of course, everything might not be perfect with your health, but whatever you’re going through, it could always be worse.
7. Education
I’m guilty of taking my degree, courses I’ve taken online, and my childhood schooling for granted.
But we’re facing a global education crisis. And if you’re lucky to be born in a country that takes education seriously, you are miles ahead of many people worldwide.
8. Vegetarian food
This isn’t something that will apply to everyone, but if you’re a fellow vegetarian, you’ll understand the level of my gratitude.
A few years ago, the vegetarian or vegan diet wasn’t taken very seriously, and you had to scour restaurant menus to get a decent meal (that wasn’t fries). However, because more people are taking their health seriously and are making diet changes, the food industry is finally listening, and we veggies can cash in on that too!
Today, I’m so grateful to eat what I’m comfortable with at a low cost and without searching high and low for my food.
9. Struggles and disappointments
Your tough times are one of the most important things to be grateful for because you wouldn’t develop courage, strength, and personal growth without them.
You also wouldn’t appreciate the good days. And you’d become an egotistical, insufferable idiot that can relate to nobody.
Be thankful for the following:
- Dreams that didn’t work out
- Depression
- Relationships and friendships that ended badly
- Health issues
These experiences only make you a better person.
10. The world of self-help/improvement
I’m grateful for self-help books, blogs, podcasts, and every single resource dedicated to personal development.
As cringe as people make self-help out to be, I believe there would be higher rates of suicide without it.
It gives you a purpose when you desperately need one and makes you more aware of your emotions.
And in a world of constant dopamine rushes, it’s easy to escape what you’re feeling. Simply watch Netflix, play a video game, or scroll through Instagram. But self-help shines the light on your issues and prompts you to figure out how to help yourself.
Self-help/improvement helped me battle anxiety and depression and made me braver to follow the path of my dreams rather than the one everyone else chose for me.
11. Technology and the internet
As happy as I am to be a 90s kid who had the chance to play outside and didn’t have an electronic device stuffed under my nose 24/7, I’m incredibly thankful for the internet.
Without tech and the internet, I wouldn’t be able to work remotely, blog, communicate with my friends, and have a host of knowledge at my fingertips.
12. Music, movies, books, and more books
Music, movies, and books aren’t simply entertainment, but they also serve as hospital IV drips, therapists, and some of the best friends we’ll have.
Side note: I’m also grateful for eBooks, as I can carry over 200 books wherever I go.
13. Your job
Jobs seem to be the number one thing people complain about, in-person and online.
There was a time when I hated my previous job, but when I look back, it wasn’t all that bad. I had financial stability, great work friends, and a fabulous office kitchen.
Similarly, your job might not be perfect, but you can still find the good in it. And if all else fails, remember that it brings you financial security.
14. Being financially stable
They say that money doesn’t buy happiness, but I believe it does, to a certain degree.
Nobody can be happy when their bank account is zero. The anxiety from that alone is soul-crushing.
Therefore, if you are financially stable (and I don’t mean wealthy, but you have enough to cover your daily expenses), you have much to be grateful for.
15. Cats
I’m grateful for the cats my parents and I feed every day. They offer a beacon of positivity in our day by never failing to entertain us and giving us unconditional love.
If you have pets (whether they’re dogs, cows, or snakes), I’m sure you feel the same way about them.
16. Home
Your home might not be your dream home, but you still have a place to sleep every night and a place to return to after a vacation.
Millions are sleeping in shelters that would kill for your “imperfect” home.
17. Hot beverages
I’m grateful that I can make a hot cup of tea to soothe me when I’m feeling nervous and celebrate with me when I have achieved something good.
I’m also grateful that I can easily order an Americano when I have a craving for coffee.
18. Nature
Be thankful for the sun, trees, plants, grass, and even insects (except cockroaches).
19. Skincare products
My face would still resemble an irritated teenager going through puberty without proper skincare products.
20. Getting older
I’ll admit I felt nervous as my birthday approached. I didn’t want to turn a year older for the first time in my life.
25 is the “you need to get your shit together year.”
But then I realized I’m dead if I don’t get older because that’s the only alternative to not aging.
Hence, I’m grateful for my age as it means I’m alive and I get to spend more time on this earth.
I’m also grateful that I have 24 years of wisdom, knowledge, and some experience behind me.
Related Post: 24 Life-Changing Things I Wish I Knew Before I Turned 24
21. Remote work and the world of blogging
If COVID-19 brought one good thing, it was the normalization of remote work. It existed before, but COVID-19 backed it up and made it legit.
And one of the biggest things I’m thankful for is that I can work from the comfort of my home for a company that doesn’t exist in my country.
And I’m grateful that I get to share my thoughts online and write this article because I have a blog (that was so easy to set up.)
22. Your country
Every country has its issues. I complain about mine more often than I should.
It’s far from perfect, but which country is?
Instead, I need to learn how to appreciate everything it has given me. A home, an education, taught me resilience, and gave me a sense of belonging.
23. Anxiety
Suffering from anxiety for most of your life is torturous. But instead of making it an enemy, I’ve learned to accept it and fall in love with it as it’s taught me so much and surprisingly made me a stronger person.
24. Heartbreak
One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned this year is that heartbreak isn’t bad. It’s made me into the person I was always meant to be – friendlier, more understanding, less judgemental, and it gave me much thicker skin.
And I honestly recommend everyone to experience heartbreak at least once in their life (that’s how I am grateful for it.)
Without heartbreak, I wouldn’t have been able to recognize my own worth, love myself, and channel my grief into something creative.
25. YOU
And lastly, be thankful for who you are and the person you’re growing to become.
Without you and the motivation you have to become a better person, all the other things on this list would be null and void.
Final Thoughts
And that’s it for this post. I hope you enjoyed my list of 25 things to be grateful for and that you’ll use them to practice gratitude in your life.
The biggest gift I’m giving myself for my 25th is that I’m done complaining and whining about life. I’m choosing to embrace the ups and especially the downs.