Show your gratitude today
Step into the gratitude zone: 5 great ways to show you’re grateful today
The most precious gift that we have is time. It’s so easy to get caught up in our busy lives that we forget about all the little things. Yet the time that we have here on earth is given to us free, it costs us nothing, and yet it is worth so much to us. So let’s be grateful for that.
If you can find other little ways to bring gratitude into your life, there’s a good chance you’ll become much happier as a result— and you’ll probably make the people around you a bit happier too. That’s the kind of ripple effect that will start to make the world a better place. Such small gestures, yet it takes a bit of focus and awareness to get it done. Here are some other ideas to change the world around you simply through nurturing an attitude of gratitude.
1. Give thanks for today.
You don’t even have to thank a person, you can thank life itself! Wake up, and greet the day with gratitude.
Be thankful you’re alive and for the precious time that you have.
2. Do someone a free favour.
Without expecting anything in return, simply do something nice for someone. Get them a drink or a coffee, do a chore for them, offer to do an errand. Just something small that will brighten someone else’s day.
3. Acknowledge someone you know with a bit of public praise.
Find a way to acknowledge the contributions of someone, to show your gratitude, in a public way, whether that’s in the office, among friends and family, on your blog, in your local newspaper.
4. Send a thank you note.
You don’t even need to send a formal thank you card (although that’s a nice touch), but just a little handwritten note saying thank you for a specific thing the person has done for you along the way. Show them you noticed it and appreciated it. If you want to ramp it up a bit, then give someone a list of all they’ve done that you’re grateful for. Take five minutes and make a list of 10 (or 50) things you love about someone, or things they’ve done for you that you appreciate.
5. This is a tough one, but say thanks even for negative things in your life.
When things go wrong, when we’re not happy, when people are mean to us, when we are worn down by the slings and arrows of everyday life, we don’t want to say thank you. But this is the time when it matters most. This is when a gratitude practice can help see us through. When life gets you down, when you’re hurt, angry, confused or frustrated, take a moment to stop and close your eyes and find things to be thankful for. It will help you realise that not all is bad in this world — and be happy for that.
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
