The Art of Gratitude: Recognizing and Cherishing Life’s Gifts

# Rediscover the Joy in Everyday Blessings A Journey Towards a Grateful Heart

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How often do you frequently acknowledge your own luck and blessings? How many times do you thank for what you have throughout the day? Do you appreciate the wealth and joy that life has graciously given to you?

If you can say “Yes” to most of the questions asked earlier, you are already doing great in terms of gratitude toward your life, thus you can skip this article. However, if you said “No”, I would like to help you to change your perspective at least a little bit, through this article.

Many of us habitually become entangled in the endless pursuit of “More”, and keep comparing our lives against those of others. Before we delve deeper, let’s ask ourselves some thought-provoking questions:

1. Do you have access to clean drinking water at your home?
2. Do you have a comfortable place to sleep?
3. Is there a toilet in your house?

These appear to be rather trivial questions, but their answers tell us much about our lives. Let’s explore a few thought-provoking facts you may not be aware of or didn’t see because they weren’t relevant to us.

1. Thirteen-year-old Aysha lives in Afar, Ethiopia. Every day she ventures out to get water for herself and her family the eight hours it takes there walking on foot¹ — and then back home again doing so before running every evening until twilight as well!
2. Across the world, many millions of people have no shelter or even a decent place in which to live. In India itself, about 1.77 million homeless people are living on pavements and in buildings².
3. The luxury of an indoor bathroom eludes many, compromising both health and dignity. Surprisingly, in India, 732 million people do not have adequate toilets³.

If you can answer ‘Yes’ to most of the questions above, you are very fortunate case. Yet, despite these glaring disparities, many of us still struggle to feel lucky or blessed. Why is that?

The Comparative Nature of Happiness

Our perception of fortune is often shaped by comparisons with those around us. Suppose you earn a million dollars per year, and your neighbors are earning around 2 times your annual salary. Most probably, you won’t be satisfied with your income. On the flip side, some bad thing happened, and you are now earning half a million, which is half of your previous income, but your neighbors earn much less, and you might still feel content.

The trap lies in the constant comparison with those we perceive as our equals or slightly above our station. How often, I mean, have you ever even tried comparing yourself to individuals like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, or Warren Buffett? Chances are, you haven’t, and even if you did, their significantly higher earnings probably didn’t dishearten you.

Cultivating a Grateful Mindset

So, how are we to change our thinking and develop a more grateful mindset? You can start by appreciating the things you have often taken for granted: friends and family, fresh air clean water. This seemingly everyday life is actually what sustains our well-being. Only when it’s gone, do you realize its true importance, don’t you?

To live a better life, we can’t be continuously compared with other people and their standards. Instead, let us try our best to live lives that are authentic and grateful. After all, there are people in places like North Korea and Africa who face far greater challenges and hardships.

The Power of Gratitude

Having looked at the significance of gratitude, let’s continue to learn just what remarkable power it contains.

1. Improved Mental Well-being: If you practice gratitude, your mental well-being will increase. We must focus on our blessings to reduce depression and anxiety. It turns our gaze away from what is lacking in life, and onto to the good things that are already there.
2. Enhanced Relationships: Thanking those near to us keeps our relationships strong. A simple thank you can go quite far in expressing gratitude and creating trust. It contributes to a constructive atmosphere in our contacts.
3. Resilience in Tough Times: Thankful people are generally better able to overcome adversity. A wellspring of gratitude gives us the resources to deal with hard times. We end up stronger for having gone through them.

Practical Ways to Cultivate Gratitude

Below are some practical ways to practice gratitude to realize it’s full benefit.

1. Keep a Gratitude Journal: You can start journaling what you are grateful for. As simple as the warmth of a sun on your face, or just a word of encouragement from someone. By writing them down, you become even more aware of these blessings.
2. Express Your Appreciation: There are people in your life whom you should not be slow to express gratitude. Tell them you’re thankful for their support, that they have your affection and love, or perhaps just something small which made the day a little brighter.
3. Mindful Meditation: Do mindfulness meditation. Focus only on the present and be grateful to have what you do in life. This will help you to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
4. Volunteer and Give Back: You should participate in acts of kindness and give something back to the community. This will deepen your feeling of gratitude even more. It reminds us of the benefits we enjoy and inspires us to share.
5. Limit Social Comparison: We’ve already said that over-comparing ourselves with others can be counterproductive to gratitude. As much as possible, avoid these kinds of comparisons and concentrate on your path.

Wrapping it up

In this world which it seems to be filled with challenges and inequalities, we easily lose sight of our blessings. Once we start to be thankful for what’s given to us in the present, it will open a door for a happier place in our hearts.

When we begin to say thank you for what we have, it’s like opening up a window to a happier and more content world in our hearts. It isn’t about being jealous of others, who have more than we do. But it is very much a case of looking at what you already possess and sharing that joy with the world. So, as you live your daily life, have a little time out to think about and appreciate the many great things that makeup one’s life.

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. — Willie Nelson”

References

[1]: Unicef (2018) | How Long Does It Take to Get Water? For Aysha, Eight Hours a Day | UNICEF USA

[2]: Evita (2020) | 1.77Mn Indians Are Homeless. 40% Of Them Are Getting No Lockdown Relief (indiaspend.com)

[3]: The Wire (2017) | At 732 Million, India Tops List on Number of People Without Access to Toilets: Report (thewire.in)

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