3 Ways to Practice Gratitude That’ll Improve Your Life

Chances are, if you ask an American what their favorite part of Thanksgiving is, they’ll say it’s the food. Between steaming mashed potatoes lathered in gravy and a decadent pumpkin sundae, what’s not to like about stuffing your face in your dining room?

Thanksgiving is also a day to show appreciation for everything in your life — the good, the bad and the ugly.

Practicing gratitude every day can be a great way to appreciate the little things that you may overlook, which can give you a newfound sense of fulfillment. In fact, it’s proven that gratitude can boost your happiness and decrease depression.

Here are three simple ways you can practice gratitude.

Look Into Your Past

Be thankful for your past struggles and joys, for they have made your life rich.

Life is meant to be lived full of emotion, good and bad. Accept those emotions. Accept your past. Although you cannot change it, they’ve made you the person you are today. Each day is a new chance to learn from your mistakes, walk in a new direction and treat yourself with kindness.

Be thankful for the past you have lived. Being shameful of it will not fix it. Be thankful for your past happiness. Be thankful for all the beautiful memories you have made, the people you have met and the places you have been.

Live in the Present

Be thankful for your present self, for you will never be this exact way in this exact position.

Time passes. Seasons change, people change and you, too, will change. (Hopefully, all for the better.) Be thankful of who you are now. Never again will you know as much as you know now or look the way you are. You will grow and learn. Be thankful for who you are surrounded by now.

Eventually, the people you are surrounded by will not be there. It’s tough, but it’s true. Do your best to love who you are surrounded by. Be thank for what conditions you are in now. If your conditions are happy, be thankful for how much positivity is in your life.

Remember that positivity when you need it. If you are struggling now, push through as best as you can. You are not alone. You are strong and have always been strong. Be thankful for each new day.

Be Inspired by the Future

Be thankful for the yet-to-comes in life, for they should inspire you to live each day as if it's your last. Imagine all of the days you have yet to live.

The memories you have yet to make. The people you have yet to meet. Be excited for your future and the future of people you love. How exciting is it to know that some of the best days of your life have yet to come? Be thankful for the opportunities to come. Living each day with a thankful heart creates a beautiful life. So, be thankful for what you can become and what you will do.

Be thankful in all aspects of life. The big and small, the unchanging and changing, the personal and public, the good and bad. If you radiate love and gratitude, others around you will do the same. Positive vibes create waves of positive change.

To you, reader, I say thank you.

Like many people, I have had my fair share of struggles, more so within these past few months than ever before. I've struggled in the past with deciding who I am and who I wanted to be, which caused low self-confidence and increased hopelessness.

I continue to struggle daily, especially as a new college student. With friends I have known for years suddenly miles away, it’s been easy to feel desperately alone. Still, I’m coping with this new life, slowly getting better.

But some days have been extremely tough. Although I try to live abundantly each day, the haunting difficulties still remain deep in my soul.

And because I do not like talking about my emotions, my thoughts are kept internalized, which is what makes writing so important to my heart. I’m tremendously grateful for my passion of writing and having a platform to express my thoughts to you.

Thank you so much for how much joy Your Friend Jane has brought me. Thank you so much for your support and love and sincere words. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my posts, no matter how dark and crazy they may seem sometimes. Thank you for all you have done and all you have yet to do. I sincerely believe that each of you are destined for your own personal greatness.

If you have yet to discover what that greatness is, it will come. If you have yet to achieve that greatness, it will come. Be thankful for your life. Living life with a negative, hateful mindset is no way to live. Yes, there will be struggles. Yes, there are things in the world we cannot change no matter how much we try.

But the best you can do in life is be thankful and spread love.

Your friend,
Jane

P.S. What are ways you practice gratitude? Let me know in the comments!