7 Regular habits that will motivate you to be grateful

If you had to write one thing this evening that you felt grateful for, what would I be? A good day at work, meeting up an old friend or perhaps seeing your child smile when you get home? Gratitude is both a feeling and an attitude that you can acquire. Making it your daily habit can enrich your life, improve your relationships and generally make you happier, less materialistic and a more wholesome person. Being thankful should be deliberate and here a few suggestions as to how:

1. Write a thank you note

Send a letter to someone who has made a special contribution to your life, you can SMS it, do it via WhatsApp … or even better deliver it in person. Describe how much you enjoy and appreciate having that person in your life. Send at least one a month. Remember to write one to yourself now and then.

2. Thank someone

Look for opportunities to thank people who talk well to you, serve well, lead well, work well like the friendly supermarket people, the watchie at the gate or your helping coworker.

3. Count your blessings

Find time every week to write about the good things happening in your life. Think about everything that has gone well and for which you are thankful for. Be specific and recall precisely how you felt when you had that positive experience.

4. Count down

Don’t just think about things to be grateful for. But rather imagine what your life would be like if your privileges or blessings would be taken away. I remember thanking God for my eyes in 2014 after a successful operation that saved my eyes from complete blindness. I never take the ability to see, read and write for granted since that time.

5. Pray

Meditate on God’s word, look up for scripture on thanksgiving and make your thoughts known to God. Praising God for His goodness brings you down to feeling humble on lots of things.

6. Keep a journal

Journal the experiences that you least expected or caught you unawares. By doing this, you will often realise that you develop stronger feelings of gratitude.

7. Pick up the phone

After the visit, the wedding invite comes your way, you receive a gift, when a kind gesture came your way or a friend paid you a visit. Simply call to say thank you. Remember to thank people for being there for you or praying over you. It sure does encourage the receiver that you have the right attitude towards the small things in life.