9 Heartfelt Ways To Be More Grateful In Life

Sick of feeling like you don’t have enough? Here are 9 ways to be more grateful for everything you have in life and focus on things that truly matter to your heart.

I spent the last week packing up all my stuff and sending it to a storage facility.

I’m moving into a new apartment soon, and even though the place isn’t ready yet, I had to move out of my old place because the new owners needed it sooner.

It was chaos all around; I was bone-tired from all the packing and traveling back and forth from my hometown to the city where I live.

But as I lay on the floor, surrounded by emptiness and bare walls, I realized how blessed I am to have a mat to lie down on while so many others are homeless in the world.

There was nothing to cook, but I had the option to order, and that made me realize how amazing it was that I could afford that.

Even though I was confused about my accommodations, I was excited to start a new chapter in a new home.

With all these thoughts and emotions, I felt an immense sense of gratitude wash over me, and just like that, my day was brighter and more beautiful.

The Power Of Gratitude

This is not the first time I’ve tapped into gratitude to get myself out of a bad headspace.

Time and again, this powerful feeling has saved me from my thoughts and helped me elevate my normal days.

Three years ago, if you’d asked me what’s the most powerful skill in the world, my response would have been something like discipline, hard work, or maybe determination.

But now, I know that gratitude is the most powerful feeling of all.

Through it, you can access your most positive emotions and unclog your hidden abilities.

It has the power to give hope to the hopeless, breathe life into a dull mind, and make a heartbroken person believe in love again.

It can tame your darkest thoughts, turn your ego into self-respect, and make you love every moment of your life.

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If you’re looking to stop fixating on your woes and nurture a positive mindset, then read on to discover 9 powerful ways to be more grateful in life.

How To Be More Grateful In Life – 9 Amazing Ways

1. Change The Story In Your Head

The skeptic in you probably doesn’t want to believe in the power of gratitude, and I get why.

You’ve faced hard things in life and the world has only taught you to always keep your guard up.

But right this moment, I want you to change the story in your head.

Stop telling yourself that you’re not worthy of happiness, and give up the notion that the world is a terrible place.

Yes, there are hardships, and yes, there are people who have wronged you.

But why are you giving them the power to tarnish your view of the beauty in this world?

There are plenty of things to love in life.

The day you start believing this truth and living by this idea is the day your life will change for the better.

2. Always Focus On What You Have

Remember the experience I shared at the beginning of this post?

I was able to transform a rough day into a good one by choosing to focus on what I had, which was a mat that I was lying on.

I realize there are worse experiences you could go through than a hectic move-out day, but in any situation, focusing on a lack of things is not the way to help yourself out.

It won’t motivate you to work hard or learn more. All it’ll do is suck your energy and stop you from being happy in this moment.

Always, always focus on what you have, and use this feeling to build a world for yourself where you love everything you possess.

Related post: How To Live In The Moment – 11 Valuable Tips

3. Turn To Gratitude When Things Get Tough

Many of us think gratitude can only be tapped into when things are going well in life, and that when things start going downhill, it’s not a reliable emotion to turn to.

But the truth is that gratitude never abandons you. You choose to abandon it by taking your focus off of it.

I have had days when I had no energy to get out of bed because everything felt like a big black hole that would suck me in.

In those days, I would pick up my favorite book and just cling to it, letting its presence nourish my tired soul.

When you choose to feel grateful when things are tough, you take away power from the bad stuff to hurt you.

You make yourself realize that no matter how tough life gets, there are always things worth holding onto.

It takes courage to look up when your life is going down, but it’s the best thing you can do to lift yourself to higher ground.

So, no matter how big or small your worries are, keep gratitude tucked close to your heart. It’ll act as a catalyst and quicken your healing and recovery.

4. Celebrate The Little Wins

What was the last time you treated yourself for a job well done or even recognized the fact that you’d done something worthy of praise?

By letting your victories go uncelebrated, you miss out on the chance to feel gratitude for everything that makes you so awesome.

Celebrate your wins, especially the little ones that you achieve every single day.

I’m talking about things like eating healthy, doing the laundry, making it through a long assignment, or finishing a sweaty workout.

Make a list of all your finished tasks at the end of the day (known as a reverse to-do list), and then reward yourself by drinking tea with your favorite cookies, lighting a scented candle, or curling up with a good book.

Every night, you’ll go to bed with a sense of accomplishment and deep gratitude in your heart.

Don’t miss: 10 Different Ways To Enjoy Life To The Fullest

5. Seek Joy From Nature

Happiness is happiness, whether it comes from a night out with your gal pals or buying a new dress.

But sometimes, these things can feel like a luxury, or they might not touch you deep enough for you to be truly grateful.

If you want to experience gratitude on an everyday basis, then nature is going to be your best friend for life.

No matter what kind of mind space you’re in, you’ll never feel let down by the warmth of the sunshine, the cool beam of moonlight, or the touch of the morning breeze on your face.

Make it a habit to seek nature daily.

Grow a garden, get up early to watch the sunrise, and get out of the house in the evenings.

Be happy when it rains, do seasonal activities, and keep your outdoors clean.

Observe nature in its raw form, and you’ll realize just how rich you are to be born in a world with so much beauty and greenery.

6. Greet People And Say Thank You With A Smile

Greeting people with a smile doesn’t take a lot of your time or energy, but it’s something that can take you a long way to actually feeling happy about your life.

When you meet someone (even if it’s just in passing), greet them with a warm smile.

Go back to your childhood habit of wishing people good morning, good afternoon, and good evening.

Say your thanks when someone assists you in some way, even if they’re just doing their job.

Also, make sure you mean it when you say thank you to someone. Let that gratitude in your heart showcase on the outside.

Haven’t you heard? Gratitude is contagious. 🙂

You might like: 50 Beautiful Acts Of Kindness To Spread Joy Around You

7. Create A Gratitude Jar

Want to make your gratitude practice cute and interesting?

Then creating a gratitude jar might be a perfect idea.

Set up a pretty jar in your home in which you can deposit notes of gratitude throughout the year.

What do you put in it?

Any moments of joy, accomplishment, or appreciation, written on a small piece of paper that you can later look back on.

Say, you had a lovely morning and want to deepen your sense of gratitude for it.

So, write down something like ‘Enjoyed a cup of coffee while reading Anne Of Green Gables,’ and throw the paper in the jar.

You can also get your family members to join in, and then open the notes at the end of the year. Can there be a better way to say goodbye to the year?

8. Express Your Love And Appreciation Freely

You love spending time with your close relations and friends, right?

There must be something about these people that fills you up and makes you want to be with them.

But how expressive are you of the love that you have for these people?

It’s important to let your loved ones know that you care for them.

It’s true that actions speak louder than words, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use your words as a way to express your feelings.

Time and again, let your people know that you love them and that you care for them.

Be random and surprise them with these cute reminders. Give them little presents without any occasion and make cards for them if you’re into artsy stuff.

And lastly, when you notice a good quality about them, let them know that you appreciate it.

It’s a nice way to pass on confidence and foster gratitude in both your and the receiver’s hearts.

Recommended: How To Glow Up Mentally – 9 Fulfilling Ways

9. Keep Reframing Your Mind

Learning gratitude is not a one-time process.

In a world full of challenges, stress, and hustle, you need to constantly challenge your negative thoughts to make space for thankfulness.

Once you begin understanding what gratitude feels like, help yourself sustain and grow it by constantly reframing your mind.

Every morning when you wake up, close your eyes for a moment and make it an intention to spend your day with gratitude.

When faced with a setback, shift your perspective and recognize the lessons and strengths that are coming from this experience.

When you find yourself fixating on someone’s flaws, ask yourself ‘Is this all I’m capable of? Do I really have time or energy to pick out someone’s negative traits instead of focusing on the goodness around me?’

These tiny shifts in your thoughts will create ripple effects of positivity, ultimately helping you become a grateful person who knows how to love more and hate less.

Gratitude Can Be Your Superpower

The more this world evolves, the less gratitude we seem to have for all the beautiful things that life is made of.

It’s all the more reason to hold on to your feeling of gratitude and use it as a rope to stay in touch with your true untarnished self.

You have everything you need to feel good in this very moment. Don’t let the materialism and superficiality around you convince you otherwise.

Read next: How To Romanticize Your Everyday Life – 10 Simple Tips

You just discovered 9 unique ways to be more grateful. What points in this post stood out to you? And what’s the one thing you would like to suggest I try to level up my gratitude practice? Leave your ideas in the comment box!