It can be easy to get swept away in the fast lane and forget to stop and show appreciation for what you have. A life well-lived is one of gratitude and thankfulness. Being grateful is an essential aspect of every individual’s life. Psychological studies show that gratitude is solidly and consistently associated with greater happiness.

Practice Abundance and Gratitude

By being grateful, a person appreciates what they have instead of reaching for something new in the false hope it will make them happier. Some people continually have an unsatisfied urge until every physical and material need is acquired. A grateful person refocuses on what they have instead of what they lack. It may feel contrived at first. However, this mental state grows stronger in the practice of abundance. Look for the gifts and emphasize appreciation. Every person can be grateful, regardless of their age or environment.

Appreciate Everything

Gratitude is not reserved for life’s “flush and big” things. The practice of gratitude begins small, with appreciating every positive thing in life. Then comes the realization that nothing is too small for thankfulness.

Appreciation resets our brains, and we feel more positive and seek the good in our lives. We tend to experience happy emotions and strengthen our connections. We rarely appreciate the little things in life until they are taken away from us. By actively paying attention to the positive things around us, we can be impressed by the beauty of life. Don’t leave anything out while practicing gratitude. It is as basic as enjoying the clear weather or how fast your mailman delivered your mail last Friday.

Find Gratefulness in your Challenges

Gratitude is more than being appreciative of great experiences. Looking back on challenging circumstances, how did they turn out in hindsight? This focuses your mind on thankfulness. Examine some of your former experiences to see how they have shaped you into the person you are now.

Volunteering is one way to express gratitude during difficult times. It gets you out of your head and teaches you to appreciate what you have while adding value to your community. Nonprofit organizations rely on volunteers to meet their objectives. Helping others is an integral part of boosting your happiness. When you serve others, you will experience their gratitude and reflect on the grateful emotions surrounding you.

Practice Mindfulness

Consider five things you are grateful for each day. Envision in your mind while maintaining a grateful mood in your body. This will automatically retrain your brain and shift to the appreciative mode. Daily practice resets your mindset to be innately more appreciative, and you will begin to feel more content. Eight weeks of gratitude practice allows people to exhibit altered brain patterns that lead to improved happiness. Your brain is a powerful tool, so embrace mindfulness.

Wrap up

Gratefulness is a daily moment-to-moment practice. Appreciation stimulates positive emotions, improves outlook and mindset, and develops great connections. No matter how challenging, always look for the gifts because they are there. In doing so, you will appreciate why living a life of mindful gratitude is vital when built upon.