During Covid, being grateful can be quite difficult since it’s hard to see the light and hope in the dark. However, there are always things to be grateful for and in times like these all we have to do is look a little more carefully. Today I am going to be discussing the benefits of regularly practicing gratitude and the small things we can be grateful for!
The Benefits of Being Grateful:
Enhances feelings of happiness
Writing down a few things you’re grateful for each day can enhance long term happiness and make us feel more fulfilled and content with what we already have.
Increases self esteem
Practicing gratitude allows us to have a greater sense of life satisfaction and feel comfortable and confident with who we are and with what our circumstances are. This in turn can help us feel proud of ourselves.
Increases positive emotions
Being grateful can help us to push away feelings of envy and jealousy, and focus on feeling content with what we already have. This can increase our happiness and resilience.
Improves relationships
Feeling grateful for the people we have in our lives, who are always there for us and help us through challenging times, can improve the quality of these relationships. This can help us feel good and help them feel good, making the relationship a lot stronger and more meaningful.
Develops positive mindset
Showing gratitude not only makes us feel more positive, it also helps us think more positively. When we start practicing gratitude regularly, we may be able to see the good in things much easier.
Makes us more giving
Feeling grateful can help us be more generous and kind to others. This in turn can make us feel happier and satisfied with our life.
Reduces stress
Finding things to be grateful for even during stressful times at school or work can help us get through it calmly and confidently. We can have improved mental health as a result of less stress, which can increase long term happiness.
Improves sleep
Practicing gratitude can lead to increased sleep quality and reduced blood pressure. This can enhance our sleep, making us feel more refreshed. It can also lead to better well being.
Things to be Grateful for:
- Family and friends – they are always there for us and help us through the darkest of times.
- Your health – especially during Covid, this is something to be very thankful for.
- School – gives us an education so that we can have a brighter and better future.
- Your pet – increases happiness and is a source of unconditional love.
- When someone holds the door – this small act of kindness is something that everyone appreciates.
- Holidays – taking a break increases our well being and happiness.
- Good music – greatly improves our mood.
- Our favourite movies and TV shows – provides us with a break during stressful times and is a great way to unwind and relax.
- Food – not everyone has enough food so this is something to feel extremely thankful for.
- Safety – feeling safe and secure is something not to take for granted.
- A house – provides us with shelter from the cold and the rain.
- A comfortable bed – helps us feel warm and comforted.
- The planet – it’s our home and it’s beautiful.
- A long, warm shower – makes us feel so relaxed.
- Yourself – you’re always going to be there for you.
- Clean water – many people lack this basic need.
- Mobile phones – makes talking to loved ones easy which is so important, especially during Covid.
- Books – provides us with an escape from the world we live in.
- Eyesight – allows us to see our beautiful planet and our loved ones.
- Doctors – they save lives.
- Teachers – without them we wouldn’t be able to learn.
If you want a few more things to be grateful for, here are some ideas:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/things-to-be-grateful-for-list_n_56420d6ce4b0b24aee4bcc63 https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/60-things-thankful-for-life.html
Overall, gratitude is life changing and it is something that everyone can do; just simply write down a few things you are grateful for each day, no matter big or small, and enjoy the results!