It’s hard finding a space for gratitude when you’re super busy and life’s got you down. Everyone’s been there, and many people accept this as “that’s just life.” Yet, there’s so much more to this thing you call life!

Teach yourself to be more grateful on a daily basis, to recognize and remember how appreciation brings joy to life.

7 Ways to be More Grateful in Life

Every day, there are little ways to fit and find moments of appreciation into the daily grind. And here are 7 of these ways you can be more grateful in your daily life.

1. Do Something Nice for a Stranger

Doing something nice for someone you’ve never met boosts your mood and gives you an appreciation for the little stuff in life, and that stranger often passes on the favor. This world is made up of perceptions of giving and taking, that sometimes hurt more than they help.

So, step into a space of giving to make the world a little brighter each day. When you recognize a moment of gratitude in another’s eyes, you’ll be more open to noticing that daily.

2. Let Go of One Unnecessary Belonging

How much you hold onto internally is linked with what you hold onto externally, and it’s difficult for many people to let go of situations and stuff. Make a commitment to letting go of one unnecessary belonging daily, or as it feels right.

Ask yourself if the item brings you joy, will find a new purpose or if it’s just hanging around. Release what’s unnecessary, and you’ll appreciate the value of what you already have in your life. Less stuff gives you more space and peace to let gratitude in.

3. Be Conscious of Your Words

Words have power, whether they’re written down, spoken loudly, whispered or thought, remember times when gossip, misperceptions, and negative self-talk got you down.

What you say to yourself, how you receive words and claim them as your own powerfully affect the capacity for gratitude you have in your daily life. Similarly, your word choices have a major impact on the self-esteem of people in your life.

Be conscious of your words. Say yes, no and thank you when you mean it. Ask yourself if this will matter in five minutes, five months or five years. Treat yourself with kindness, and give yourself the love you give to others.

4. Write the Good, the Bad and the Awkward Down

You’ve heard of the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal, but many blogs on the topic ignore the fact that life is far from perfect. There is appreciation, growth and enriching emotion to be found in life’s hiccups and tragedies, too.

Write about the good, the bad and the awkward. Find little nuggets of inspiration, appreciation, and opportunities for growth. Recording these moments makes them easier to revisit. Sometimes, you need to vent, and that’s empowering, too! When you’re present with all of life, you live it fully and appreciate it daily.

5. Go Rogue and Have a Mini Adventure

Did routine get you in a slump? A daily schedule keeps you on track, but you’re still running around in a hamster wheel. Get “unslumped” by going rogue.

You don’t need permission, but give a heads up to loved ones if your mini adventure cuts into important commitments. Reclaim your freedom by following an instinctual whim. Remember how to trust those instincts, to be more grateful about the whimsy and wild surprises found in the everyday.

So, on your trip to the grocery store, go down a road less traveled. Have ice cream for breakfast. Go to that coffee shop you’ve been eyeing and talk to a stranger.

6. Honor Something Beautiful About Yourself

Self-doubt is like an annoying leech that keeps sucking away all that you find beautiful about yourself, on the inside and the outside. Milk the positive for all it’s worth, and find beauty in those imperfections because they are what make you unique!

Give your favorite feature some love: Treat your beautiful copper hair to a deep conditioning. Get your inner poet a new leather bound journal and feather quill.

Love the scars: Old scars, inner and outer, have a history and those positives and negatives add to the unique person you are today. Touch your scars with compassion and empowerment. Recognize their power to heal others.

7. Spend Time With Authentic People Who Love You

Spending time with loved ones is a wonderful way to feel like you belong. Family and friends provide a sense of interconnectedness.

Surround yourself with genuine people who take off their masks to connect with gratitude. When a family member or friend appreciates you for who you are, even when you fight, it impacts your worldview. You express yourself with empathy and gratitude toward others in daily life.

Teach yourself to be more grateful every day by connecting to the little stuff of life. Find moments of appreciation and beauty, such as giving to a stranger, letting go of unnecessary stuff and spending time with authentically loved ones.

Gratitude unlocks the door to leading a full life of joy and happiness.

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