It’s easy to feel down and out, especially in light of recent events. Maybe your mental and physical health have even suffered because of everything that’s going on in the world.
Yet, when you consider all that you have, even in the midst of sorrow and chaos, you may soon realize that there’s still a lot to be grateful for. In fact, you may even find you have way more than you need!
The next time you’re feeling sad, angry or green with envy, try counting your blessings. The more you express gratitude for simple everyday luxuries like the ones below, the sooner you’ll see the glass as half-full instead of half-empty.
Warm sunshine
Unless you’re a vampire, you likely enjoy basking in the warm glow of the rising sun. Maybe you even lay out and tan during the summer months. Soaking up all that vitamin D is sure to leave you feeling happier and healthier. So, if you live somewhere that has all four seasons or a cloudier climate, you should be extra grateful for those sunny rays. The odds are good that it’ll be more difficult to get enough UV rays to make vitamin D during the colder, cloudier months.
Hot coffee
If you’re an avid coffee drinker, you might consider your morning cup of joe to be a necessity. Yet, not everyone enjoys this simple luxury. The next time you’re sipping a steaming mug of java, say a little thank you.
The same applies when you’re waiting in line at the coffee shop. Thank goodness you have the extra cash to buy a latte, so you don’t have to go through the trouble of making one. Oh, they have double chocolate mochas, too? Hooray for hot coffee!
Good health
Those who are fit and healthy have a lot to be grateful for. Healthy minds and bodies are in short supply these days, especially in light of the pandemic. So, if you feel good and have all your faculties, be thankful.
Express your gratitude by making the most of your wellness. Eat whole, nutritious foods and exercise often with the right precautions to prevent mishaps and preserve your good health.
Water
Roughly 20 percent of the world’s population walks 3.5 miles (about 5.6 kilometres) to get to drinking water every day. Meanwhile, those in developed countries take running water for granted. With water scarcity affecting one in three people, a nice, cold glass of H20 is certainly something to be thankful for.
Whisper a thank-you for ice, too, as most countries consider it a luxury commodity. Even in many areas of Europe, you may be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that puts ice in your drink!
Employment
If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life, right? Well, not everyone has the opportunity to do what they love. The good news is, if you’re grateful for your job, work will be a whole lot less awful. In fact, you might even start to enjoy that nine-to-five. Try switching your mental dialogue from “I have to go to work” to “I get to go to work” and see what happens.
Safety
Not everyone lives in a safe environment. Just consider how many people live in war-torn areas or high-crime communities. These individuals and families fight for survival and fear for their lives every single day. Meanwhile, you probably live in a neighbourhood in which you easily fall asleep without worrying about personal safety.
Refusing to take this luxury for granted will help you appreciate your home, your freedom and your security.
Your home
Speaking of home, you probably give little thought to the roof over your head or the floor beneath your feet. But when you consider the place you call home, you’ll realize how lucky you are to have someplace to share your life with your family and friends. Maybe you even have a big backyard where you can plant a garden, play soccer or let the dogs run around. This abundance is just another everyday luxury to be thankful for.
Trees
Do you live in a wooded area? Can you look out your window and spot a tree? Count yourself lucky. Trees prevent floods, provide shade, recycle carbon dioxide and provide homes for both people and animals. However, the world’s forests are disappearing. The earth has lost as much as one-third of its forests, much of them to deforestation, within the past 100 years.
However, there is hope for the planet as more people realize trees’ importance, share their gratitude with others and incite change.
Relationships
Having deep, meaningful conversations with other people is one of the most special parts of being alive and being human. Yet, when it comes to relationships, you might not recognize a good thing until it’s gone.
Therefore, it’s important to be grateful for your friends and family. Treasure those connections while you still have them. Life is short and people come and go, so there’s no time like the present to remind your loved ones how much they mean to you.
Personal growth
You’re not the same person you were yesterday, so it only makes sense that looking at your past will show you how much you’ve grown. When you look back and see progress, courage and determination, be grateful. Life is hard and you’re doing the best you can.
The more you experience, the stronger, kinder and wiser you’ll become. When you realize this, you can smile in the face of failure and embrace a future full of opportunity.
Where the greenest grass grows?
When you only focus on what you lack, it’s easy to believe that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. On the other hand, when you shift your attention to the abundance that’s already yours, you’ll see that the greenest grass is actually growing in your yard.
What’s more, it’ll only get greener, the more you shower it in gratitude. So count your blessings and keep your chin up! Your life is as beautiful as you make it.
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