20 Things to Be Grateful for All the Time

Doesn’t gratefulness just feel good? When you’re grateful, you’re reminded of the things worth looking forward to; everything seems to make sense.

There are a lot of things to be grateful for. We can get benefits simply from being grateful.

Research shows that gratitude can increase happiness by 25%. Gratitude encourages the enjoyment of positive experiences, helps improve relationships with other people, and lessens negative feelings.

Gratitude also surpasses positive comparisons, and can improve health.

Everybody’s grateful for different things. I have mine you wouldn’t necessarily be grateful for—I can write hundreds of them—but they’re my own.

There could be an infinite number, for each of us, but I made a list of 20 things to be grateful for all the time.

1. Loved Ones

The people you love eventually become part of your support system. They could unconditionally stay with you, no matter what the times may bring. They include not only your family and relatives, but your closest friends as well.

2. Basic Senses

Your senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch let you enjoy everyday life. More important, they allow you to feel potential danger especially during unexpected times.

3. Time

A great deal of tasks and responsibilities may await you, but the gift of time allows you to manage them properly, hone your skills and make yourself a better person.

Sadly, many people waste their time on things they’re miserable doing.

Time is so precious not to be thankful for.

4. Ability and Freedom to Move

Be grateful for the parts of your body you can move. History tells us that disability isn’t a hindrance for people who are serious in reaching their dreams.

Even though you have some disability, you still, and always, have the freedom to do whatever you want—more than you realize.

5. Places where You Could Sleep, Eat and Work

These places are basically among the least you need to survive.

So what if the house isn’t yours or your job isn’t your dream job? You are surviving, and you will have better opportunities, sometimes even if you won’t look for them.

6. Nature

Trees. Grass. Soil.

Research suggests that nature walks are good for the brain.

You didn’t ask for it, but you might need only a few steps from your house just to enjoy nature—experiencing nature is basically free. Helping to conserve it is a way to show your gratitude!

7. Kind People

Kind people know—they’re part of the army who wants to make the world a better place.

Imagine a stranger helping you out during an emergency, say, you forgot to bring your wallet at the grocery, or your car suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere. And no, the stranger doesn’t ask for anything in return.

8. Adversity

Be thankful not only during adversity, but also for it. Adversity makes you wiser and stronger. It makes success sweeter. It teaches you to stick with things that matter and abandon those that don’t serve you or worse, those that steal your happiness away.

9. Enemies

Enemies, whether personal or professional, are a proof that you’re doing something right, that you can’t please everybody.

Having enemies, however, may not be that bad. An enemy could simply mean someone who just won’t agree with most of your views. Not bad, right?

10. Ability to Forgive

Moving on by forgiving the people who have hurt you is something you should be grateful for. It doesn’t matter whether they know it. Allowing your heart and mind to experience peace, and knowing the true meaning of forgiveness will do you so well.

Humans’ first option is always to counterattack. Acknowledge your feelings, even those born of hatred.

In the long run, however, forgiveness is about you, not the people who’ve wronged you.

11. Ability and Opportunity to Learn

As long as you have the ability to learn, you won’t find real excuses not to manifest it. Many people have reached success without finishing school—don’t get me wrong, everyone should go to school—but nothing is virtually impossible if you have the gift of learning.

12. Wisdom that Comes with Age

So much of this so-called wisdom can be found anywhere. But the wisdom you develop—your own wisdom—as you grow older will mature to become unshakable. Your experiences continuously reinforce it. The best part about it is you’ll find truth in your wisdom—to you—and that’s all that matters.

13. Ability to Create and Remember Great Memories

Memories are one of the many meaningful reasons to live. By creating wonderful memories, you live life to the fullest. Reminiscing them with your loved ones becomes a source of inspiration.

14. Laughter

Oh, isn’t it great that laughter is simply one of the best things to be grateful for?

Laughter is very easy to do. You just have to decide whether you’re going to spend your days laughing or you’re just going to let the boring serious side of life get you. Laughing will always be beneficial—however you see it—when done right, of course.

15. Music

Okay, I’m biased here. I love music. But to be fair, I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t listen to any type of music at all. There’s a vast range of music genres. Music can just set the mood; it can uplift the soul. And it’s good for your health.

16. Weekends and Holidays

Refusing to take a break when everyone around you is enjoying the day is just difficult—you’d have to isolate yourself or just go to the office on a Sunday if you want to spend the day just working.

But in any case, weekends and holidays remind you that hey, you must take a break.

17. Technology

The internet, smartphones, even robots.

Technology evolves every time. It can, and must, make your life easier. Beware, however—you should be the one who’s in control of it, not the other way around.

18. Inner Strength

No matter who you are, you can always choose to be strong.

Courage. Fearlessness. Heart.

You have inner strength. Thanks to adversity, believe it or not; you become stronger than your previous self.

19. This Moment

Right here, right now, is a product of everything we’ve done.

It doesn’t really matter how you got there.

Stay mindful. Everything you know, believe and feel is born of all the decisions you had to make.

This moment is an opportunity for you to shape the future yet to come.

20. Life

Your life. Which makes just about everything possible as long as you put your mind on and take action for it.

You may be dealing with some difficulties right now, but be grateful for the fact that you have the idea of a bright life and future.

To me, being alive is what I’m thankful for the most.

Think About It

If you ask me, these 20 things to be grateful for are just a few. I can list down perhaps hundreds of them right now.

I’m grateful for the nice weather. For not being sick. For our dogs. For the great meal I just had. For coffee.

For not having met an accident at the street. For having access to clean water. For being able to play the guitar. For being able to see my nephew. For not having cancer.

As I said, the things we’re grateful for vary for each of us. You could find mine weird—but I’m simply grateful for those I have, for those that happen to me.

There are also a lot of really small things I’m grateful for. I’m grateful that my table clock is positioned perfectly. I know, I could be shallow, but I’m just grateful.

Here’s a simple exercise: Write down three things you’re grateful for when your spirits are high—and three things when you’re in the face of some difficulty. Be mindful of those things, especially during the tough times. And notice that you can always choose gratitude.

Life is a given. Your attitude to face it, however, is not.

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4 thoughts on “20 Things to Be Grateful for All the Time”

  1. Hi Ethan,

    I don’t even know what I’m most grateful for. I try to be appreciative all the time, even for the little things, so everything adds up to me.

    It’s really out of the box that you included enemies on the list, most people wouldn’t even connect them with such a topic. I can be grateful for them too, in a different way of course. As you said, you have to be doing something right for someone to view you that way. In addition, they can also keep you on your toes when you need it. Sometimes we need that kick in the butt, regardless where it comes from.

    ~Lea

    1. Hi Lea,

      Thanks for sharing your insight!

      Yeah, enemies. I’m not saying we should be thankful for enemies as if we should have one all the time.

      To me, having enemies could be an opportunity. Like with other things in life, looking for the good side of it doesn’t hurt, and most probably there will be something good. Think compassion, understanding … or even a nice relationship with them in the end! 🙂

  2. Great post Ethan, loved the one about time it is very true that sometimes we get caught up in doing tasks and events and forget that time is there also to help us manage these tasks.

    1. Hey Winston,

      Glad you liked it. You’re right … time is a very valuable, although limited, resource. That sort of scarcity it provides reminds us to always be wise … time might have been designed that way, really 🙂

      Thanks for dropping by!

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