48 things to be Grateful for this Holiday
Everything is possible
I’ll tell you a little secret, except it’s not secret at all: There are no limitations on how you can live your life. EVERYTHING. IS. POSSIBLE. Now, if that’s not something to be grateful for (every day!), then we need to have a serious talk.
Dreams in the making
Are you a person on a mission? Are you making conscious choices and living the life you want to live? Are you on your way to dream come true? Be grateful for the path you’re on, the joy it gives you and the hope you’re experiencing.
Dreams come true
Even better! Make a list of all the dreams you’ve had that you made come true! This list will be the ultimate inspiration list to achieve even more and bigger goals.
Being able to help others
Be grateful when you find yourself in a position to help others, because it means you are abundant. Think of it this way: You are so plentiful, you are filled to the brim, you have more to give! It’s a wonderful situation to be in, and think about how you are making an impact on someone else’s life.
Everything is possible
I’ll tell you a little secret, except it’s not secret at all: There are no limitations on how you can live your life. EVERYTHING. IS. POSSIBLE. Now, if that’s not something to be grateful for (every day!), then we need to have a serious talk.
Dreams in the making
Are you a person on a mission? Are you making conscious choices and living the life you want to live? Are you on your way to dream come true? Be grateful for the path you’re on, the joy it gives you and the hope you’re experiencing.
Dreams come true
Even better! Make a list of all the dreams you’ve had that you made come true! This list will be the ultimate inspiration list to achieve even more and bigger goals.
Being able to help others
Be grateful when you find yourself in a position to help others, because it means you are abundant. Think of it this way: You are so plentiful, you are filled to the brim, you have more to give! It’s a wonderful situation to be in, and think about how you are making an impact on someone else’s life.
Family
Family is family, and no matter if you’re close or not – think about what your family members actually mean to you. It’s well worth your time to take a few moments and appreciate all the good things about your family. Bonus points if you call your mum and thank her for everything she has ever done for you !
Friends
It’s easy to be grateful for good friends. Do you remember to tell them too? For your own sake, it can be really nice to write a list of all your friends and a little note on what about each one you’re grateful for.
Being thought of
“I’ll think about you,” she said while I was standing on her doorstep, tears flowing down my cheeks. Being thought of, especially during hard times, really means a lot, and to this day, I am so grateful for those four words she said before I left. Is anyone thinking of you right now? Maybe someone is worried about you? Or just really care? (Or maybe someone is deeply in love and can’t stop thinking about you!?) Time to add it to your list of wonderful things to be grateful for.
Moments with strangers
Sometimes a shared moment with a stranger makes your day really special. It’s when you see something funny and realize the person next to you on the bus saw the same thing and is trying to keep his laughter in. You eyes meet for a second, and suddenly you’re both laughing out loud. He’s getting off at the next stop and you’ll probably never see each other again, but that moment probably made both of your days. That moment – be grateful for it. Just thinking about it will make you smile.
Your strength
You are probably stronger than you think! Being grateful for what you have achieved, endured and lived through can only lead to good things. Take a moment and appreciate what you’re good at, how well you manage. Well done!
Good health
Health is the most important thing, and yet we often take our good health for granted. Even if you’re not in perfect health at the moment, it is possible to be grateful for what you have, when you feel better, that it ain’t worse.
Opportunities
It’s easy to be grateful when a wonderful opportunity opens up, but gratitude can also work the other way around. Be grateful for opportunities and look back at the last few days. What kind of opportunities were you given? Does something strike you as a great opportunity now that you didn’t immediately realize then? For example – invites, requests, demands of attention, changes of plans might look more like an opportunity now than it did when you were first presented for it.
The place you were born
Chances are, if you’re reading this right now, that you live in a well-developed and modern country. It’s so easy to take this for granted! Personally, I’m lucky to be living in one of the richest countries in the world (thank you, oil), and I very often take that for granted. Think about all the benefits of living where you do – do you have great health care, universities, media industry or sunshiny warm weather? Do you have the best food tradition, holiday locations or job opportunities? Even if you don’t have it all – appreciate what you’ve got!
Your job
In uncertain times, you can be grateful for your job. Even if you don’t like what you’re doing, or you’re paid next-to-nothing, there are always things to be grateful for: the best boss, co-workers, work-time or the prettiest view from the office. You have wonderful customers or clients, great opportunities or are you just lucky to have a job at all? There are positive sides and lots of gratitude potential in your job!
Your wealth
Food on the table, money to spare, money in the bank, enough to come by, 5 dollars for a magazine, a small side-income, making money doing your thing – rather than focusing on what you’re lacking – focus on what you’ve got.
Great conversations
This is one of my favourites. I really, truly, deeply, appreciate a good and interesting conversation. When was the last time you had one?
Change
Most people fear change. This is where you use gratitude to really help you through. It’s so easy to find ways that change will be bad, but take five minutes and think about what you appreciate with the changes you’re facing. Can you find room for being grateful for change too?
Health care
I’m really grateful for all the help I’ve ever received (and am still receiving) from all the wonderful people who make it their mission to help and care for others. Instead of feeling bad about your illness and hurt, focus on your gratitude. I’m sometimes amazed at how wonderful it is that us human beings take care of each other in this way.
Help from others
Up the same alley, has anyone helped you today? People interact and help each other every day, so chances are that you’ve received help in any way. Look out for help in disguise! People might be trying to help even if you don’t realize it right there and then.
Fresh starts
If you’ve ever been given a second chance, you know what I’m talking about here. Fresh starts, new chances and big life changes are wonderful and easy to appreciate. However, have you ever thought about that every single day is a fresh start? I am grateful for this day.
Good food
Food on the table is a basic human need and if you’ve never starved – easy to take for granted. I’m not saying you have to be grateful for food just because you have it and others don’t (although you should seriously consider it), but how about being grateful for a wonderful and tasty meal? Sometimes I’m so grateful for chocolate it feels like I’m going to explode with joy!
Inspiration
You can always be grateful for inspiration. I’m willing to bet that you find a lot of inspiration around you to be grateful for if you look a little closer! For example, I’m very grateful for really inspiring blogs, books, poetry, and photography that inspires me every day. Which inspiration sources are you grateful for right now?
Smiles
Let’s be grateful for smiles together! Smiles from a stranger, a loved one or in a photo – smiling is contagious! Be grateful for the smiles others gift you with, and be grateful for your own ability to smile and spread love and happiness.
Education
If you’re fortunate enough to receive a good education, this is something you can be grateful for. How about thanking your teachers and professors, your parents if they pay for your college or be grateful for your own intelligence and ability to learn.
Synchronicity
Synchronicity is when you’ve just decided pursue a career and then immediately meet someone who is willing to be your mentor. Synchronicity is when you’ve decided to use the colour green to brand your business and you suddenly is surrounded by green everywhere. Synchronicity is when you think about a friend and then suddenly your friend calls! It’s the most wonderful thing in the world, and if something like this has happened to you lately – be grateful for it because it doesn’t happen all that often!
Shared or acquired wisdom
Sometimes people share their wisdom without even noticing, so be on the lookout for shared wisdom in disguise. In addition, people often deliberately want to share their wisdom because they care about you! It’s a nice thing to be grateful – give thanks – and to look at each little piece of wisdom as a blessing. Acquired wisdom is when you suddenly realize something, make a connection or learn from your mistakes. Be grateful for your own insight, your knowledge and your wisdom!
Painful lessons
Some of life’s lessons are inevitably going to be painful. However, I often find that the harder the lesson – the more potential for growth it represents. Being grateful for life’s hard lessons, for the pain and the suffering – because it will help you grow – is a really nice way to turn something bad into something good.
A great book
Getting lost in a really good novel, or diving into a great non-fiction read is a wonderful feeling. The next time you sit down to read, send a little thought of gratitude to the author of the book, and be grateful for the book itself. Sometimes it amazes me how words on paper can bring me so much joy!
Great music
For the same reasons as above, music has the power to transform your mood and nothing is better than some music to dance to while you do your chores! The next time you enjoy listening to music, send a little thought of thanks to the musicians, the song-writers, the producers and the artist. Appreciating the people who contribute to make magical music will make you feel good as well.
Art
The next time you appreciate a work of art, focus your gratitude towards what the artwork gives you. Inspiration? Motivation? A sense of belonging? Do you feel anger? Disgust even? Focus on how the work of art makes you feel and focus your gratitude on the artworks ability to move you. Most of all, I feel grateful when I come upon a work of art that calms me down, but I’m working on that sense of gratitude for other kinds of art too.
The small things
The magic really is in the small things. That’s why I tend to focus on these when I do my gratitude tweets. A tasty treat, a cup of tea, sunshine through my window, a small moment of joy – all are really small things that give me tremendous amounts of happiness.
Pets
If are lucky enough to have a pet, you know how much joy and company it brings. I think everyone who has a cat, dog, horse or turtle (oh yes!) feels that their pet is the best one in the world – and it is! So, if you’re feeling low, tired or depressed, just be grateful for the moments when your dog greets you at the door, when your cat sneak up against you to cuddle or when your turtle smiles (apparently they do!).
Connections
Connections are wonderful to include in your gratitude practice. The really strong connections you have with the people closest to you – or a shared smile with a stranger on the bus. All connections are sacred and mean so much to us. Take a moment to think back on the connections you’ve made the last day. Grateful?
Kindness
Most people automatically give thanks when they recognize kindness in other people. So there are two more ways to be grateful for kindness: You can try to recognize it more, which means to actively be on the lookout. Can someone’s action be interpreted in a way that means they are actually trying to be kind? For example, that person who uses ages to order in a coffee shop might actually be buying coffee to all of his friends. Or your flatmate who never cleans might be the too busy taking care of the people around her.
The other way you can be grateful for kindness is to do it consciously, not automatically. Look at how many times during one day you say “thanks”. How many of those times do you really mean it? How do you think it would make you feel if you managed to do it consciously every time? I’m willing to bet it would give you a lot of smiles and happiness.
Insight and clarity
You know when you look back at something that has been bothering you and suddenly see it in a different light? Or when you manage to make a really good decision in the middle of chaos? Add it to your grateful list and let the happiness you get from it grow!
Perspective
Looking at things in perspective is another one of life’s blessings. And it’s so much easier in hindsight than in the moment! Be grateful when you manage to look at a situation differently, from another persons point of view or you see consequences for different actions. Seeing things from another person’s perspective is often painful and hard, and it will often make us grow as human beings. Being able to feel gratitude when looking at a time when you experienced painful growth will double it!
Life
So easy to overlook, but so so fundamental. Be grateful for being alive!
Time
Free time, an open calendar, time off, fun times – be grateful for the time you have to do what you love. Even if you are super-busy, do you have the time of your life? Add it to your grateful list for an instant positive mood-booster.
Beauty
No need to explain this one, I just want to remind you to be grateful for all the beauty in your life. So easy to include in your daily grateful list!
Daylight
If you live in country with only 6 hours (or less) of daylight in the winter (like me), you’ll learn to appreciate the daylight when you have it. What are you grateful for right now that you wish you could have more of?
Memories
If you’re lacking of things in your present to be grateful for (look harder, dear!), look to your past. Focus on those good memories that make you smile!
Good service
… is often taken for granted, as we tend to focus on the times when we receive our coffees from the really grumpy barista, not the nice one who remember your daily order. How about thanking the staff next time you receive good service?
Gifts
No explanation needed here, just want to remind you that gifts come in a lot of different ways.
Creativity
Be thankful for the times when you can’t hold it in, when you just want to create, create, create. God a new creative idea? Add it to your list of things to be grateful for!
Your special talents
Can you remember almost any number combination? Do you write the most sparkly application letters? Or can you balance three grapes on your nose while singing a song? (lucky you!) Be grateful for your special talents, the cherry on top of the cake of you!
A good cup of coffee or tea
Well, I know I included this in the list of the small things, but a good cup of anything hot usually sneaks in on most of my grateful lists. Lavender earl grey latte, coffee with milk, red berry rooibos – I’m bursting with gratefulness for the ease it gives me. How about you?
Love
It’s to the end of the list, but it’s not because it isn’t important! Love in any form – just the thought of it will make you smile. I think there’s nothing in the world that makes me more grateful than the love I’m feeling from the people around me, and the love I’m giving in return. Are you experiencing love? Big life-changing-, deep mother-daughter-, or instant take-out-the-fire-extinguisher-LOVE: I’m willing to bet that love is part of the solution to the meaning-of-life riddle.
Generosity
Look out for generosity and be grateful for the people who are! Generosity comes in a number of ways, people can for example be generous with their time, attention, help, advice or money. It’s easy to remember to be grateful when money and things are involved, but remember to keep an eye out for other kinds of generosity too.
Having something to look forward to
Last, but not least (as this list is not in any order), be grateful for the things you are looking forward to in your life right now. Are you planning a journey, starting something new or are you just looking forward to your friends birthday party? Thinking about something great that will happen in the future is an instant way to feeling good right now. Think about it this way; being grateful for something in the future now will double the fun!
What are you grateful for right now?
Source
Family is family, and no matter if you’re close or not – think about what your family members actually mean to you. It’s well worth your time to take a few moments and appreciate all the good things about your family. Bonus points if you call your mum and thank her for everything she has ever done for you !
Friends
It’s easy to be grateful for good friends. Do you remember to tell them too? For your own sake, it can be really nice to write a list of all your friends and a little note on what about each one you’re grateful for.
Being thought of
“I’ll think about you,” she said while I was standing on her doorstep, tears flowing down my cheeks. Being thought of, especially during hard times, really means a lot, and to this day, I am so grateful for those four words she said before I left. Is anyone thinking of you right now? Maybe someone is worried about you? Or just really care? (Or maybe someone is deeply in love and can’t stop thinking about you!?) Time to add it to your list of wonderful things to be grateful for.
Moments with strangers
Sometimes a shared moment with a stranger makes your day really special. It’s when you see something funny and realize the person next to you on the bus saw the same thing and is trying to keep his laughter in. You eyes meet for a second, and suddenly you’re both laughing out loud. He’s getting off at the next stop and you’ll probably never see each other again, but that moment probably made both of your days. That moment – be grateful for it. Just thinking about it will make you smile.
Your strength
You are probably stronger than you think! Being grateful for what you have achieved, endured and lived through can only lead to good things. Take a moment and appreciate what you’re good at, how well you manage. Well done!
Good health
Health is the most important thing, and yet we often take our good health for granted. Even if you’re not in perfect health at the moment, it is possible to be grateful for what you have, when you feel better, that it ain’t worse.
Opportunities
It’s easy to be grateful when a wonderful opportunity opens up, but gratitude can also work the other way around. Be grateful for opportunities and look back at the last few days. What kind of opportunities were you given? Does something strike you as a great opportunity now that you didn’t immediately realize then? For example – invites, requests, demands of attention, changes of plans might look more like an opportunity now than it did when you were first presented for it.
The place you were born
Chances are, if you’re reading this right now, that you live in a well-developed and modern country. It’s so easy to take this for granted! Personally, I’m lucky to be living in one of the richest countries in the world (thank you, oil), and I very often take that for granted. Think about all the benefits of living where you do – do you have great health care, universities, media industry or sunshiny warm weather? Do you have the best food tradition, holiday locations or job opportunities? Even if you don’t have it all – appreciate what you’ve got!
Your job
In uncertain times, you can be grateful for your job. Even if you don’t like what you’re doing, or you’re paid next-to-nothing, there are always things to be grateful for: the best boss, co-workers, work-time or the prettiest view from the office. You have wonderful customers or clients, great opportunities or are you just lucky to have a job at all? There are positive sides and lots of gratitude potential in your job!
Your wealth
Food on the table, money to spare, money in the bank, enough to come by, 5 dollars for a magazine, a small side-income, making money doing your thing – rather than focusing on what you’re lacking – focus on what you’ve got.
Great conversations
This is one of my favourites. I really, truly, deeply, appreciate a good and interesting conversation. When was the last time you had one?
Change
Most people fear change. This is where you use gratitude to really help you through. It’s so easy to find ways that change will be bad, but take five minutes and think about what you appreciate with the changes you’re facing. Can you find room for being grateful for change too?
Health care
I’m really grateful for all the help I’ve ever received (and am still receiving) from all the wonderful people who make it their mission to help and care for others. Instead of feeling bad about your illness and hurt, focus on your gratitude. I’m sometimes amazed at how wonderful it is that us human beings take care of each other in this way.
Help from others
Up the same alley, has anyone helped you today? People interact and help each other every day, so chances are that you’ve received help in any way. Look out for help in disguise! People might be trying to help even if you don’t realize it right there and then.
Fresh starts
If you’ve ever been given a second chance, you know what I’m talking about here. Fresh starts, new chances and big life changes are wonderful and easy to appreciate. However, have you ever thought about that every single day is a fresh start? I am grateful for this day.
Good food
Food on the table is a basic human need and if you’ve never starved – easy to take for granted. I’m not saying you have to be grateful for food just because you have it and others don’t (although you should seriously consider it), but how about being grateful for a wonderful and tasty meal? Sometimes I’m so grateful for chocolate it feels like I’m going to explode with joy!
Inspiration
You can always be grateful for inspiration. I’m willing to bet that you find a lot of inspiration around you to be grateful for if you look a little closer! For example, I’m very grateful for really inspiring blogs, books, poetry, and photography that inspires me every day. Which inspiration sources are you grateful for right now?
Smiles
Let’s be grateful for smiles together! Smiles from a stranger, a loved one or in a photo – smiling is contagious! Be grateful for the smiles others gift you with, and be grateful for your own ability to smile and spread love and happiness.
Education
If you’re fortunate enough to receive a good education, this is something you can be grateful for. How about thanking your teachers and professors, your parents if they pay for your college or be grateful for your own intelligence and ability to learn.
Synchronicity
Synchronicity is when you’ve just decided pursue a career and then immediately meet someone who is willing to be your mentor. Synchronicity is when you’ve decided to use the colour green to brand your business and you suddenly is surrounded by green everywhere. Synchronicity is when you think about a friend and then suddenly your friend calls! It’s the most wonderful thing in the world, and if something like this has happened to you lately – be grateful for it because it doesn’t happen all that often!
Shared or acquired wisdom
Sometimes people share their wisdom without even noticing, so be on the lookout for shared wisdom in disguise. In addition, people often deliberately want to share their wisdom because they care about you! It’s a nice thing to be grateful – give thanks – and to look at each little piece of wisdom as a blessing. Acquired wisdom is when you suddenly realize something, make a connection or learn from your mistakes. Be grateful for your own insight, your knowledge and your wisdom!
Painful lessons
Some of life’s lessons are inevitably going to be painful. However, I often find that the harder the lesson – the more potential for growth it represents. Being grateful for life’s hard lessons, for the pain and the suffering – because it will help you grow – is a really nice way to turn something bad into something good.
A great book
Getting lost in a really good novel, or diving into a great non-fiction read is a wonderful feeling. The next time you sit down to read, send a little thought of gratitude to the author of the book, and be grateful for the book itself. Sometimes it amazes me how words on paper can bring me so much joy!
Great music
For the same reasons as above, music has the power to transform your mood and nothing is better than some music to dance to while you do your chores! The next time you enjoy listening to music, send a little thought of thanks to the musicians, the song-writers, the producers and the artist. Appreciating the people who contribute to make magical music will make you feel good as well.
Art
The next time you appreciate a work of art, focus your gratitude towards what the artwork gives you. Inspiration? Motivation? A sense of belonging? Do you feel anger? Disgust even? Focus on how the work of art makes you feel and focus your gratitude on the artworks ability to move you. Most of all, I feel grateful when I come upon a work of art that calms me down, but I’m working on that sense of gratitude for other kinds of art too.
The small things
The magic really is in the small things. That’s why I tend to focus on these when I do my gratitude tweets. A tasty treat, a cup of tea, sunshine through my window, a small moment of joy – all are really small things that give me tremendous amounts of happiness.
Pets
If are lucky enough to have a pet, you know how much joy and company it brings. I think everyone who has a cat, dog, horse or turtle (oh yes!) feels that their pet is the best one in the world – and it is! So, if you’re feeling low, tired or depressed, just be grateful for the moments when your dog greets you at the door, when your cat sneak up against you to cuddle or when your turtle smiles (apparently they do!).
Connections
Connections are wonderful to include in your gratitude practice. The really strong connections you have with the people closest to you – or a shared smile with a stranger on the bus. All connections are sacred and mean so much to us. Take a moment to think back on the connections you’ve made the last day. Grateful?
Kindness
Most people automatically give thanks when they recognize kindness in other people. So there are two more ways to be grateful for kindness: You can try to recognize it more, which means to actively be on the lookout. Can someone’s action be interpreted in a way that means they are actually trying to be kind? For example, that person who uses ages to order in a coffee shop might actually be buying coffee to all of his friends. Or your flatmate who never cleans might be the too busy taking care of the people around her.
The other way you can be grateful for kindness is to do it consciously, not automatically. Look at how many times during one day you say “thanks”. How many of those times do you really mean it? How do you think it would make you feel if you managed to do it consciously every time? I’m willing to bet it would give you a lot of smiles and happiness.
Insight and clarity
You know when you look back at something that has been bothering you and suddenly see it in a different light? Or when you manage to make a really good decision in the middle of chaos? Add it to your grateful list and let the happiness you get from it grow!
Perspective
Looking at things in perspective is another one of life’s blessings. And it’s so much easier in hindsight than in the moment! Be grateful when you manage to look at a situation differently, from another persons point of view or you see consequences for different actions. Seeing things from another person’s perspective is often painful and hard, and it will often make us grow as human beings. Being able to feel gratitude when looking at a time when you experienced painful growth will double it!
Life
So easy to overlook, but so so fundamental. Be grateful for being alive!
Time
Free time, an open calendar, time off, fun times – be grateful for the time you have to do what you love. Even if you are super-busy, do you have the time of your life? Add it to your grateful list for an instant positive mood-booster.
Beauty
No need to explain this one, I just want to remind you to be grateful for all the beauty in your life. So easy to include in your daily grateful list!
Daylight
If you live in country with only 6 hours (or less) of daylight in the winter (like me), you’ll learn to appreciate the daylight when you have it. What are you grateful for right now that you wish you could have more of?
Memories
If you’re lacking of things in your present to be grateful for (look harder, dear!), look to your past. Focus on those good memories that make you smile!
Good service
… is often taken for granted, as we tend to focus on the times when we receive our coffees from the really grumpy barista, not the nice one who remember your daily order. How about thanking the staff next time you receive good service?
Gifts
No explanation needed here, just want to remind you that gifts come in a lot of different ways.
Creativity
Be thankful for the times when you can’t hold it in, when you just want to create, create, create. God a new creative idea? Add it to your list of things to be grateful for!
Your special talents
Can you remember almost any number combination? Do you write the most sparkly application letters? Or can you balance three grapes on your nose while singing a song? (lucky you!) Be grateful for your special talents, the cherry on top of the cake of you!
A good cup of coffee or tea
Well, I know I included this in the list of the small things, but a good cup of anything hot usually sneaks in on most of my grateful lists. Lavender earl grey latte, coffee with milk, red berry rooibos – I’m bursting with gratefulness for the ease it gives me. How about you?
Love
It’s to the end of the list, but it’s not because it isn’t important! Love in any form – just the thought of it will make you smile. I think there’s nothing in the world that makes me more grateful than the love I’m feeling from the people around me, and the love I’m giving in return. Are you experiencing love? Big life-changing-, deep mother-daughter-, or instant take-out-the-fire-extinguisher-LOVE: I’m willing to bet that love is part of the solution to the meaning-of-life riddle.
Generosity
Look out for generosity and be grateful for the people who are! Generosity comes in a number of ways, people can for example be generous with their time, attention, help, advice or money. It’s easy to remember to be grateful when money and things are involved, but remember to keep an eye out for other kinds of generosity too.
Having something to look forward to
Last, but not least (as this list is not in any order), be grateful for the things you are looking forward to in your life right now. Are you planning a journey, starting something new or are you just looking forward to your friends birthday party? Thinking about something great that will happen in the future is an instant way to feeling good right now. Think about it this way; being grateful for something in the future now will double the fun!
What are you grateful for right now?
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