Find Angel

Gratitude

None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.

How this was put together

If you only read a few

  1. Write small things you are grateful for on paper and place them in a box.

    One person found this helped after keeping it up for about six months.

    one person who lived it

    • Record a daily list of things you are thankful for, concentrating on existing assets rather than missing ones.3
    • Spend five minutes every morning writing down three things you are grateful for.1

  2. Be humble and appreciate life.

    You are not here forever.

    one person who lived it

  3. Place value in people and material items by imagining they will not be present in the future.

    Knowing you wouldn't get them back highlights their importance.

    one person who lived it

  4. Find comfort in the fact that your existence on earth is a miracle.

    This perspective helps even when things are hard.

    one person who lived it

  5. Practice gratitude and learn from your mistakes.

    You are better off dealing with this now than later in life.

    one person who lived it

  1. Look back daily to show appreciation for how you reached your current state.

    To counter the hedonic treadmill effect where we tend to seek more once a goal is reached.

    one person who lived it

  2. View your possessions through the perspective of others who wish they had them.

    Other people often look at what you have with desire; getting into their perspective allows you to feel that value yourself.

    one person who lived it

  3. Practice gratitude journaling to deepen your appreciation for normal things.

    One person found it helped them appreciate normal things and brought tears of joy when listening to music.

    • Based on one person's experience.

    one person who lived it

  4. Practice simple gratitude by realizing you already have a good life.

    This realization defines a great life.

    one person who lived it

5 more on this

  1. Before sleeping each night, write down at least one thing you feel thankful for.

    3 people, independently

  2. Respond to the past with gratitude and to the future with acceptance.

    one person who lived it

  3. Practice gratitude to increase your happiness and realize how much others do for you.

    Increased gratitude increases happiness.

    one person who lived it

  4. View financial support from family as a source of gratitude rather than a burden.

    one person who lived it

  5. Journal about what you are thankful for instead of focusing on repetitive negative thoughts.

    Journaling revealed how repetitive negative thoughts were.

    one person who lived it

Close