Gratitude: “A felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life.” – Robert Emmons
Being grateful is as much (or more) a choice than a feeling. We often talk about “feeling” grateful when things are going well for us. But psychology, spirituality, and research tells us that “being” grateful is an active choice to notice and direct our thoughts and awareness to the many things about which we can feel joy, wonder, thankfulness, abundance, and appreciation.
Having trouble feeling grateful? How many things on this list do you agree with, and how many could you add?
Here are 101 reasons we thought of to be grateful day.
- Air to breathe
- A heart that keeps beating
- Shoes
- A health challenge you DON’T have
- A health challenge you’ve overcome
- A sweet childhood memory
- A favorite food
- A nutritious food
- The opportunity to change
- New experiences
- The ability to learn from the past
- The ability to learn from other people’s mistakes
- Wisdom from books
- A talent you possess
- Challenges that allow you to grow
- Humor in unexpected circumstances
- The mother and father who gave you the gift of life
- Communication
- Animal friends
- The warm glow of sunshine
- A cool breeze on a hot summer day
- A warm coat in the cold of winter
- The beauty of nature
- Sight
- Sound
- Taste
- Smell
- Touch
- The gentle warmth of a friend’s embrace
- Clean water to drink
- A favorite song that speaks to your heart
- The ability to read and write
- Help from kind friends and strangers
- Taking a nap
- A home to live in
- Twinkling stars in the night sky
- People who inspire you
- Babies’ laughter
- Phone and video calls with friends and family
- Escape into sleep and dreams each night
- A fresh start each day
- Unexpectedly running into an old friend
- The anticipation of something good
- The pattering of rain on the window
- The struggles that made you who you are now
- Air conditioning
- The feel of grass between your toes
- Modern plumbing
- Productive work to do
- Days off work
- The moon
- A special school teacher
- The sun rising each morning
- The chance to fail and try again and again
- A smile from a stranger
- An old friend you’ll never forget
- A new friend you just recently met
- The energy of a crowd
- The peace and quiet of solitude
- Laughing so hard that you cry
- Your intuition
- Grandma’s cooking
- The scent of baking bread
- The taste of fresh peaches
- Sunglasses
- Your ability to think and reason
- The love of God
- The sound of a waterfall
- The wealth of information just a few button clicks away
- The wonderful variety of humanity
- Butterflies
- Cars (and other transportation)
- Photosynthesis to grow plants and refresh our oxygen
- A hot shower after a long day
- Being able to love and be loved
- The glow and warmth of a campfire
- A piece of good news
- Watching children dance without a care in the world
- Forgiving someone
- Receiving forgiveness
- Warm, fuzzy blankets
- Pain that had a purpose to teach or protect from further harm
- Seeing beauty through art
- A bird’s cheerful song
- Rainbows
- The movie that always makes you laugh no matter how many times you’ve seen it
- Cute baby animal videos
- Stores where you can find almost anything you can imagine or want
- Nature painting the sky at sunset
- Swimming on a hot summer day
- An inside joke with a friend
- People who risk themselves to protect others
- A genuine compliment
- Looking at old photos
- Winning a game
- Having fun even when you lose
- Feeling like someone else understands
- Toothpaste
- Learning a fascinating new bit of trivia
- Going on a fun ride
- The possibility to change your whole life with one good decision
How many things can you add to the list?
