Gratitude can be defined as having a positive attitude toward life and its events. It can also be defined as having an appreciation of life’s positive aspects. Gratitude is an emotion aimed toward appreciation,1 and its definition can vary by individual and how one perceives gratitude or thankfulness. Gratitude can be both an action you practice and an attitude.
Why Build a Gratitude List?
Creating a practice of gratitude can improve mental health. It can help decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety by fostering positive feelings, improving mood, and increasing motivation. Gratitude can increase happiness, self-esteem, and sense of worth while decreasing sentiments of frustration, shame, or guilt.
It can also positively affect your physical health by decreasing stress levels and increasing the likelihood of engaging in healthier activities, like being physically active.2 Research has shown that individuals that practice gratitude also report better sleep and overall physical health.3
How to Get Started Practicing Gratitude
To get started with practicing gratitude, you want to begin by shifting your attention to things you are thankful for. These can be current or memories, situations, items, etc. There are many ways to begin building this practice. Some of these include having a designated notebook to use as your gratitude journal; this can facilitate the reflection process. Remember that there is no right or wrong answer when identifying what you are grateful for.
Another way to start practicing gratitude can be by expressing thankfulness to your loved ones, reframing your thoughts and looking at things from a more positive lens, and practicing mindfulness and savoring special moments or routines. You can also give thanks before meals to enhance a sense of gratitude, practice self-reflection, and even begin engaging in gratitude rituals.
Discovering Things to Be Grateful For
When building a gratitude list, someone can discover and choose from various areas to add to that list. It can be something big such as being alive and having a roof over your head, something ‘smaller’ or everyday things like someone saying ‘good morning’ to you when you arrive at your job, an experience you had with a family member or a friend that you cherish, or maybe something more unique like that first sip of coffee (or tea) in the morning. There are no limits to discovering things to be grateful for.
Big Things to Be Grateful For
There are big things in life that can sometimes be taken for granted. These things help us keep going, like family and friends supporting us through challenging times or a roof over our heads that keeps us sheltered and safe. Another big thing to be thankful for is health, whether it is at its peak or not at its best, and the health of those whom you care for, too!
Big things to be grateful for are:
- Health
- Having a home or place to live
- Having food
- Meaningful relationships (family, friends, significant other)
- Access to education
- Access to transportation
- Clothing
Everyday Things to Be Grateful For
Finding joy and practicing gratitude in everyday activities or simple everyday things can sometimes be more challenging. This is because one can get used to these and oversee their purpose or role when you focus on what you have versus what you are missing or lacking and your emotional and psychological health increases.4 You can start by noticing what you can do daily or what you may have access to daily.
Everyday things to be grateful for are:
- Free Wi-Fi at coffee shops or other locations
- Someone holding the door open for you
- Free books at the library
- A cell phone, laptop/computer, or any other means of communication
- Making it through the day
Things to Be Grateful for in Relationships
Gratitude can also be cultivated in relationships. As previously stated, gratitude shifts your attitude into a more positive one, improving your mood and noticing what’s going well instead of what is not. It will also positively affect relationships, with you being more attentive to those positive traits or characteristics in your relationships with others. In addition, gratitude can also enhance relationship formation and maintenance of these relationships.5
Things to be grateful for in relationships are:
- Receiving a funny text from a friend
- Having supportive people in your life
- Receiving a phone call from a friend or family member to ask about your day
- Having friends that invite you over to their place (or another place)
- Having someone you can talk to or vent to
Things to Be Grateful for at Work
Gratitude can also be found in your place of work. Research findings suggest that perceived and also expressed gratitude can have a positive impact on job satisfaction.6 In the workplace, gratitude can be found in aspects that include your colleagues, supervisor, and even customers or clients. You can also reflect on whether thanks have been given to you during your work day today.
Things to be grateful for at work are:
- Getting paid
- Finishing a project
- Being thanked by someone else for your help in getting something done
- Having a supportive team
- Having benefits if applicable (PTO, sick days, insurance, etc.)
Unique Things to be Grateful For
You can also have some fun in your journey of creating a practice or habit of gratitude or as you build your gratitude list. Think outside the box; think of those unique things that give you a sense of joy, happiness, and pleasure or those you look forward to.
Unique things to be grateful for:
- Hot showers
- Pens that write well
- The scent of a new book
- Access to air conditioning
- A cold drink on a hot summer day
- The scent of your favorite candle
Experiences to be Grateful For
When viewing experiences from a grateful lens, we hone into the positive aspects of the experience and dim the negative factors of it.4 Some experiences can feel challenging or negative at the moment when it first happened. However, you can reflect on these sometime down the road and identify some aspects you are thankful for right now. It can be helpful to remember that gratitude is not just about ‘things’ but an attitude.
Experiences to be grateful for are:
- Laughing through tears
- Traveling
- Trying new food
- Watching the sunrise or sunset
- Getting a massage
How to Cope When Gratitude Is Challenging
Do not get discouraged if it takes you some time to build up your gratitude list or if it takes you longer than expected. Implementing new skills and learning new habits can take some time, especially if its your first time engaging in this practice. You can always talk to a friend or someone from your support system if gratitude feels beyond your reach. Sometimes, those around us can help us identify some of those things, people, or experiences to be grateful for. Seeking professional help is also an option.
When to Seek Professional Help
If you seem to find nothing to be grateful for, notice feelings of hopelessness, or have a hard time with gratitude overall with no change over some time, you may want to seek professional help. This is sometimes common if you are experiencing symptoms of depression, and it’s important to know that you are not alone or hopeless. There are many different online therapy options for you to choose from. You can also use an online therapist directory to help you find the best therapist based on your location, treatment specialty, and/or insurance.
In My Experience
In my opinion and experience, building a practice and culture of gratitude has positively affected my mood and views of events in my life. Creating a gratitude list and being intentional with the time I spend creating and building up that list helps me shift my perspective about my day into a more positive and hopeful one. If you have difficulty fighting negative thoughts or are in a negative mood, reflect on the information presented in this article and start by creating a gratitude list. You will notice plenty of things to be thankful for around you.
For Further Reading
Finding Things to Be Grateful for Infographics
