Gratitude is a value that may seem to be being lost. Even though saying “thank you” costs nothing, people seem to find it difficult, uncomfortable and annoying.
For others, it is not that word that is difficult, but rather showing that they feel gratitude for what has been done for them. But they should, because our parents, siblings, friends, neighbors… all of them have done something for us on more than one occasion.
It is time to be more grateful for things, both in words and gestures. Therefore, below we will see some strategies that will help us to be a little more grateful in our daily lives.
It is not very difficult to be grateful, and its own dictionary definition proves it to us. According to the DRAE, a grateful person is one who is grateful, that is, who shows gratitude and gives thanks. It’s that simple: being grateful is give thanks for the good that happens to us in life, both the smallest and what is most significant to us It costs nothing to be grateful in this life, and in fact it is in our best interest.
Being more grateful makes us happier, since it makes us value the good things that happen to us as more important instead of focusing so much on the bad. This style of thinking is exactly the opposite of that of many, since most of us mortals cannot escape the negativity bias, an effect (or trap depending on how you look at it) that makes us put more weight on the negative things that happen to us, belittling or even ignoring the positive ones.
Changing our way of relating to others, thanking them for being there or simply valuing more the little things that happen to us can be a very good way to attract happiness and emotional stability to our lives. Happiness and health go hand in hand, and gratitude is a powerful magnet for both so to achieve this we are going to learn a few strategies that will teach us how to be more grateful.
1. Keep a diary
Our first tip is to keep a diary about the good things that happen to us. Write down all the positive things that we feel grateful for It is very beneficial as it is a very good way to combat the aforementioned negativity bias.
It doesn’t matter if we do it in a notebook or on the computer. The idea is to write down everything good that happens to us, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant it may seem. Doing so encourages a positive thinking style, making less and less cognitive effort to detect the good events present in our lives.
It is enough to spend between 5 and 10 minutes saying what those things have been that have made us feel good and that we are grateful for having happened You have to commit to doing it, something that will cost us a little at first but over time will become a completely automated habit.
2. Don’t avoid negative things
This advice may surprise us and it makes sense. Normally we associate gratitude with the good, focusing only on the good and completely ignoring the bad.
Nevertheless, The key to being more grateful is to assume that there will be setbacks that sometimes we cannot avoid them and that, although a little annoying, they can even help us value even more the good that happens to us.
Let’s look at it this way: Isn’t it true that bad things have happened to us in the past that we have later overcome? Remembering them also makes us remember how we overcome them, seeing ourselves capable of facing difficulties and achieving success.
3. Value the little things in life
There are many small moments in our daily lives that, although seemingly unimportant, influence our well-being Getting a seat on the subway, having the toast fall on the side of the bread, or having our pet greet us warmly when we get home are little things for which we should be grateful.
But in addition to being grateful for these moments, we can also help others to be aware of them and value them as well. Return every kindness they offer you, and thank them, even if it’s just a compliment.
4. Help others
Help others, it costs nothing and they will almost always thank you. Grateful people not only appreciate what you do for them by saying it, but also by giving it back.
Likewise, It is not necessary that they have done us a favor before to help others Be a volunteer, offer to make other people’s day better. Gratitude is something that is contagious and helping others is the best way to awaken gratitude in others.
5. Be grateful for the life you have been given
How can you be grateful for having the life you have been given? Some of us may see it as a bad thing while others see it as just the opposite but this is because we live it firsthand or we compare it with the lives of those who we believe live better than us.
What if we compare it with those who live worse? How many people in this wide world live in absolute misery? How many are hungry? There are those who don’t even have a bed to sleep in.
Having a house, a family, friends, a job… Even the simple fact of living in a place where you don’t have to look at the sky every day to see if a bombing is coming. There are many misfortunes that occur in the world that we have never had the misfortune to experience, and that most likely we will never experience.
6. Appreciate the lives of your loved ones
Many people have lost their entire family in some conflict or natural misfortune. Others have been losing them due to the sad but inevitable passage of age and death. You may have already lost someone important in your life, but you still have the others.
Value the life of your loved ones, be thankful that they are still alive and in good health No one’s life is guaranteed, no one knows what can happen tomorrow, if they can die because they have crossed paths with the least suitable person on the street. From life to death there is only an instant of difference.
7. Stay in touch with your loved ones
When was the last time you called your grandparents? And your parents? It’s about time, don’t you think? Regularly calling your loved ones is a sign of gratitude, that you value them and they will also feel more inclined to call you in the future.
You can also go visit them, send them messages, letters or even gifts, something that shows that you don’t forget about them and that you value them. If necessary, take charge of family gatherings, organize them so that the entire clan can meet.
