How To Be Happy #2: First Step: Gratitude
The very first thing on the journey to happiness is to develop an ‘attitude of gratitude’. What’s gratitude? Just being thankful and saying ‘thank you’ for whatever is around you.
Take a moment right now to look at where you are. What can you see? Your bed? Your room? Maybe your little brother or sister trying to get your attention (if you’re a kid)? Maybe a kid trying to get your attention (if you’re an adult)? Maybe peace and quiet, that sometimes feels like loneliness. These are all things you can be grateful for.
Now go outside. Find a tree and look closely at the bark and up into the leaves. Look down at the grass, and the unbelievable microcosm of life buzzing along down there. These are all things you can be grateful for.
Move your arm, and now your leg. Stretch the muscles in your face to smile. These are all things you can be grateful for.
This might be a new concept for you, but it’s really as old as the hills. Wise people have known for a long, long time that being thankful for what you do have is going to make you happier than wishing for what you don’t have.
What we all miss is that we all have so much, right here, right now.
What do you have?
Life, for a start.
Eyelashes.
Clean undies.
Your favourite music.
The ability to feel happiness — and sadness.
A voice. An opinion.
Knees, thumbs and big toes. (Seriously — try moving around and doing stuff without them.)
Sunshine, wind and rain.
Words, books and meaning.
Art, dance, singing.
Chocolate. (Actually, this should perhaps have been at the top of the list.)
Being grateful for the things we have today, in our hands and in our hearts, makes us happier than wishing for the things we don’t have.
What do you have?
Action
Write down five things in your surroundings that you can be thankful for today.
Who can you challenge to be thankful with you this week? Together see if you can come up with 100 things you can be thankful for.
Do you know someone who has a lot of gratitude? If so go and ask them how they got that way.
How can you use your gratitude to positively affect the people around you?
Want more on how to be happy? Check out the rest of Cecily Paterson's How To Be Happy blog series for more tips and advice.
Want more of Cecily's writing? You can grab a free copy of her novel, Invisible here.
Please note: None of the advice given in this blog series is medical or expert advice. This is general advice only, with no guarantees behind it. If you are struggling with mental health issues, anxiety or depression or any other diagnosible condition, please let me encourage you to see a health care professional first and foremost.
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